JOINT COMMUNIQUE
August 16, 2008, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

Continuing a long-standing province/state relationship among Canada, Mexico and the United States (U.S.), the 18th annual meeting of the Tri-National Agricultural Accord took place in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, August 13-16, 2008. Secretaries, Commissioners, Directors, Ministers and senior government officials from 5 Canadian provinces, 6 Mexican states, and 14 U.S. States worked together to improve understanding and strengthen collaboration among the agricultural sectors of the three NAFTA countries.

The Hon. Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter, State of Idaho, and the Hon. Celia Gould, Director, Idaho State Department of Agriculture welcomed the delegations to the State of Idaho and emphasized the importance of agriculture to the economies of all three countries. The Hon. Nancy Montanez Johner, Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services, addressed the delegates on her agency and its goals, nutrition programs and links to agriculture. The meeting included a tour of one of the largest grass seed companies, Jacklin Seed in Post Falls, Idaho.

The Mexican delegation was headed by the Hon. Jorge Kondo, Sinaloa Secretary of Rural Development and President of the Mexican Association of the States Secretaries of Rural Development (AMSDA). The Canadian delegation was headed by the Hon. Rosann Wowchuk, Deputy Premier and Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives for the Province of Manitoba. The U.S. delegation was headed by the Hon. Gene Hugoson, Past President and current board member of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) and Minnesota Commissioner of Agriculture. Details of the delegate activities in the tri-lateral meetings and bi-lateral working group meetings are included as a joint report.

NEXT ACCORD
During the meeting, the Hon. Rosann Wowchuk extended an invitation to Mexico and the United States to attend the 19th Meeting of the Tri-National Agricultural Accord in Manitoba in 2009.

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Hon. Jorge Kondo, Mexico Delegation
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Hon. Rosann Wowchuk, Canada Delegation
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Hon. Gene Hugoson, United States Delegation

TRI-LATERAL ISSUES

RURAL DEVELOPMENT
The Rural Development Tri-lateral Working Group was chaired jointly by the Hon. George Groeneveld, Alberta Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Hon. Maria del Carmen Trejo, Michoacan Secretary of Rural Development.

The Working Group provided information and a slideshow presentation about the meetings held in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, in October 2007 and Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes, Mexico, in May 2008. Reported accomplishments included a biofuel summit held in New Mexico; a cooperative relationship between Alberta and Jalisco for the development of a food processing pilot facility; a youth agriculture education exchange between Texas and Nuevo Leon; and a Oaxaca mission to New Mexico to further investigate their mobile slaughter unit initiative. In addition, Sec. Trejo reported on Michoacan’s innovative rural development programs to assist its poorest communities.

HARMONIZATION
The Harmonization Tri-lateral Working Group was chaired jointly by the Hon. Director Fermin Montes, Nuevo Leon General Director of the Agriculture and Livestock Development Corporation, Alanna Koch, Deputy Minister, Saskatchewan Agriculture, and the Hon. Gene Hugoson. The Working Group proposed a new structure for identifying issues and actions relating to harmonization. Discussions included reports from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) on harmonization efforts relating to animal diseases and plant pests. In addition, officials from the NAFTA Technical Working Group (TWG) on pesticides reported on its new draft five-year work plan. It was agreed that a letter will be sent to the three national governments urging the reinstatement of the NAFTA TWG on Veterinary Drugs and Feed, based on the model provided by the TWG on pesticides.

CLIMATE CHANGE
Larry Pedersen, Deputy Minister, British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, reported outcomes from the “Climate Change and Agriculture” meeting, held in Vancouver in March 2008 and requested input on any possible steps to be taken under the Accord. The Hon. Gene Hugoson thanked BC for their leadership in hosting the forum and concurred that it is a growing issue for agriculture. The Hon. Jorge Kondo expressed that Mexico has great interest in the issues and that agriculture will continue to face both opportunities and challenges. Each country was asked to identify a contact for information sharing and to explore if and how climate change issues could be addressed under the Accord.

BI-LATERAL ISSUES

UNITED STATES / MEXICO
The U.S./Mexico Working Group meeting was co-chaired by the Hon. Todd Staples, Texas Commissioner of Agriculture and the Hon. Jorge Kondo. The delegates were given an update by U.S. and Mexican federal officials on the current favorable trade environment and the Mexico-U.S. CCA. Their report showed that under NAFTA, bilateral trade has continued to grow. The U.S. official reported that USDA agencies and Mexican counterparts are working together to address many areas of mutual concern.

Delegates exchanged information on issues listed in the proposed 2008-2009 workplan, including harmonization of animal health issues, such as fever ticks, brucellosis, tuberculosis, and livestock border crossings. With respect to border crossings, a letter to federal officials will be sent by the two countries. Among other issues discussed were plant health harmonization (citrus trade), organic products, farm labor, nutrition, biofuel production and its by-products as viable protein sources, and potato trade. U.S. delegates shared the concerns of Mexican delegates in the handling of food safety emergencies. They assured the Mexican delegates that a discussion will be held at NASDA’s annual meeting in September 2008 with U.S. federal officials on the need for science–based responses to public health emergencies involving food. The discussion outcomes will be shared with Mexico. At the conclusion of the meeting, a memorandum of understanding was signed by the Hon. Todd Staples and the Hon. Fermin Montes to facilitate an agricultural education and leadership exchange program between their two states. Commissioner Staples invited other Mexican states to enter into similar agreements.

UNITED STATES / CANADA
The U.S./Canada Working Group meeting was co-chaired by the Hon. George Groeneveld, Alberta Minister of Agriculture and the Hon. Gene Hugoson. The meeting began with reports from federal officials on the activities of the U.S./Canada CCA and a summary of the importance of Canada/US agricultural trade. The reports covered a range of topics, including harmonization of Mexico’s post-BSE import approach for cattle with Canada and the United States, third country market access, 2007 Canada-U.S. Potato Arrangement, biotechnology cooperation and organics regulation equivalency. The delegates reviewed the proposed 2008-2009 workplan and exchanged information on a variety of issues. U.S. delegates reported on biotechnology, biosecurity and the technical arrangement announced in November 2007 between the Governments of Canada and the United States concerning trade in potatoes. Canadian delegates reported on changes in Canadian import regulations related to bovine diseases, changes in feed standards in both countries, pesticide and veterinary drug harmonization issues, activities related to foreign animal disease preparations, Canadian concerns regarding the implementation of COOL, and information exchange on invasive species and organic certification and standards. U.S. delegates expressed concerns regarding the implementation of new Canadian organic certification standards. A report was also provided on the North American Biotechnology Initiative.

Joint Report of the 18th Meeting of the Tri-National Agricultural Accord – page 3 of 3

Delegates from both countries noted the progress made in reducing regulatory requirements for U.S. feeder cattle export to Canada and pesticide harmonization. Delegates also indicated their support for the continuation of regional agrosecurity conferences in Canada and the United States.

New issues added to the workplan were potato cyst nematode and climate change. In regards to potato cyst nematode, the delegates urged federal officials to assemble the International Science Panel as agreed in the May 2008 phytosanitary agreement.

A letter to federal officials regarding the 5-year strategic plan on pesticide harmonization was agreed to as well as comments on the plan.

MEXICO / CANADA
The Canada/Mexico Working Group meeting was co-chaired by the Hon. Jorge Kondo and the Hon. George Groeneveld. The meeting began with reports from federal officials on the activities and accomplishments of the Mexico/Canada Consultative Committee on Agriculture (CCA). The CCA report covered a range of issues, for example achievements in the areas of BSE recovery, dairy heifer trade; collaboration regarding U.S. COOL; information sharing regarding chicken, eggs, sugar; and ongoing work in the area of classical swine fever, Newcastle disease and further market access.

The delegates reviewed the 2007-2008 workplan and exchanged information on a variety of issues including the impact of the U.S. Farm Bill, impact of anti dumping provisions, the Security and Prosperity Partnership, bilateral trade in dairy heifers, veterinary drugs and climate change.

Co-chairs prepared a letter to the USDA requesting a simple and flexible COOL rule that does not disrupt trade. Another letter was prepared to respective federal agriculture ministers requesting that Canada reinitiate the WTO challenge of U.S. agriculture subsidies.

OTHER TRI-LATERAL ISSUES
Delegation heads chaired an initial dialogue on concerns expressed about the increasing number of tri-lateral meetings held between the annual Accord meetings in 2007-2008. The delegates considered a recommendation of scheduling only one interim tri-lateral meeting in 2009 before the next annual Accord. In addition, views were shared on possible meeting registration fees and conducting a survey on the Accord meeting format.

End of the joint report

HISTORY OF THE ACCORD

Staff persons: Amy Mann, Amy@nasda.org