Accord Meeting Convenes This Week

News Date April 19, 2007

 The 17th Annual Tri-National Agricultural Accord Meeting in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, began this week on April 18. NASDA's delegation is led by Delaware Agriculture Secretary Michael Scuse, NASDA secretary-treasurer. New Mexico Agriculture Secretary Miley Gonzalez will co-chair the U.S./Mexico Working Group, and Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Gene Hugoson will co-chair the U.S./Canada Working Group. NASDA will be represented by a total of 16 states. During the Accord, discussions will be held under the framework of the three tri-lateral working groups. These groups focus on rural development, harmonization of sanitary and phytosanitary standards, and trade remedy policies. 

The Accord, first established in 1986, was designed to provide a forum for information exchange among the U.S. state directors, secretaries, and commissioners of agriculture and the ten Canadian provincial ministers of agriculture. Mexico's state secretaries of agriculture and rural development joined the Tri-National Agricultural Accord in 1993. The Accord seeks ways to avoid costly and divisive legal trade actions; to resolve minor trade disputes among the three countries; and to address common cross-border agri-food issues. It is intended to provide an opportunity and mechanism for Canadian provinces and U.S. and Mexican states to exchange information, views and suggestions on various aspects of the agriculture and food industries in their respective jurisdictions. 

The Accord works through a structure of bilateral working groups to study problems as they arise, and to work with federal officials to make sure that they are receiving adequate attention and information when conducting negotiations. (Contacts: Richard Kirchhoff and Jennifer Yezak)