NORTH AMERICAN AG OFFICIALS MEET FOR TRI-NATIONAL ACCORD
News Date August 18, 2009
State and provincial agriculture officials from the United States, Canada, and Mexico met last week in Gimli, Manitoba for the 19th annual meeting of the Tri-National Agricultural Accord. The Secretaries, Commissioners, Directors, Ministers, and other senior government officials from six Canadian provinces, five Mexican states, and seven U.S. states met to discuss and collaborate on agricultural trade and development issues.
Delegates to the Accord unanimously agreed to a joint statement calling for an end to the practice of identifying new or existing diseases with technically incorrect names which often results in dramatic market disruptions and confusion among consumers. Delegates pointed to the recent H1N1 Influenza Pandemic in humans being incorrectly labeled as “Swine Flu” in the media, and the subsequent collapse of the North American pork industry.
In addition, delegates collaborated on issues related to rural development, as well as the harmonization of pesticides, veterinary drugs, and organic standards between the three countries. Delegates also called for the inclusion of the agricultural and forestry communities’ concerns in climate change initiatives.
A copy of the Tri-National Agricultural Accord’s official communiqué is available here. (Contact: Amy Mann)