Eleventh Meeting of the Tri-National Agricultural Accord
JOINT COMMUNIQUÉ
September 7, 2001
Manzanillo, Colima

Senior officials from 15 Mexican States, 19 U.S. States and 9 Canadian provinces met in Manzanillo, Colima from September 6-8. This was the eleventh in a series of rotating annual conferences intended to improve understanding and strengthen collaboration among the agricultural sectors of three neighboring countries. The meeting included an intensive focus on the state and provincial relationships in the areas of agricultural policy formation, and preventing foot and mouth and other communicable agricultural diseases. Delegates took advantage of the opportunity to view Manzanillo's advanced port infrastructure.

The U.S. Delegation was headed by Hon. Leon Graves, Commissioner of Agriculture, Food and Markets for the State of Vermont and President of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA). The Canadian delegation was led by Hon. Paul Robichaud, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Aquaculture for the Province of New Brunswick. The Mexican delegation was headed by Hon. Dr. Enrique Salinas Aguilera, Secretary of Agricultural Development for the State of Coahuila and President of the Mexican Association of Secretaries of Rural Development (AMSDA). The meeting was hosted by Hon. Ing. Lorenzo Hernandez Arreguín, Secretary of Rural Development for the State of Colima.

During the meeting, delegates reviewed accomplishments of the bilateral working groups established under the Accord structure adopted at Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1999, and established bilateral work plans for the coming year.

U.S. and Canadian leaders received a detailed report on progress made by the Federal Consultative Committee on Agriculture (CCA) since it met with the U.S./Canada Working Group in its capacity as the Province-State Advisory Group (P-SAG) to that body in February 2001. They reviewed progress in harmonizing trade in live cattle achieved through state, provincial and federal cooperation, and recognized that this will continue to be an important area for future bilateral efforts. The Canadian delegation raised concerns about levels of domestic support in the United States and current controversies over tomato trade. It was agreed to determine an approach for a presentation from federal officials on these domestic supports to be made at the next working group meeting. The working group agreed to continue exchanging positions on biotechnology, seed certification, and towards achieving balanced regulation and pricing for pesticides between the two countries.

The Mexican and Canadian Delegations discussed mutual concerns respecting trade distorting subsidies, and the misuse of phytosanitary issues and anti-dumping measures as barriers to trade. Two working groups were established to exchange information and develop possible joint recommendations in these areas for the future. Both delegations also agreed that differences in climate could offer seasonal trade opportunities and agreed to exchange information on dried beans as a pilot approach. The Mexican delegation advocated a meat certification program to resolve transhipment problems. Canadian and Mexican concerns regarding seed potatoes were discussed as were Mexican proposals regarding food quality and safety, organic product certification processes and a scientific approach to the labelling of genetically modified products. Both delegations agreed that these issues require further work.

The Mexican delegation suggested that these issues could be further considered through the North American Plant Protection Organization (NAPPO).

U.S. and Mexican state leaders reviewed successful collaborations over the past year, including work on foot an mouth disease and other issues under the auspices of the Border Governors Conference, the biotechnology forum in Jalisco, and the meeting of bean producers in December, 2000. The Mexican delegation presented its concern about the different levels of subsidies in the three countries. Issues proposed for bilateral study included identification of genetically modified organisms, a new mechanism for studying border operation issues, and the certification of organic products. The delegations agreed to present to federal authorities issues such as: trade in live animals, meat and meat products; the use of science to establish quarantine requirements for such agricultural products as potatoes and other specialty crops; and the mutual recognition of quality and food safety certification systems.

At the close of the Manzanillo meeting, the U.S. delegation extended an invitation to their Mexican and Canadian colleagues to come to Tucson, Arizona for the Twelfth Meeting of the Tri-National Agricultural Accord. The next meeting will have a particular focus on improving border operations as a means of strengthening agricultural trade in the North American Region.

Hon. Paul Robichaud, Coordinator
Canadian Delegation

Hon. Leon Graves, President
NASDA

Hon. Dr. Enrique Salinas Aguilera, President
AMSDA