The NAFTA agreement is now up for overhaul and the timetable seems to be relatively short. Various groups have therefore been reviewing its performance to date and weighing in on elements of a new trade agreement.
Representative in Washington D.C.
The North American Trade Agreement was signed some 23 years ago after a lengthy and no doubt intense process of negotiation. The agreement is now up for overhaul and the timetable seems to be relatively short. Various groups have therefore been reviewing the performance of NAFTA to date and weighing in on elements of a new trade agreement. One such was a Round Table colloquium The Future of Agri-food Trade in the Northern Region: The Voice of the Producers, held in the impressive hall of the Organization of the American States, in Washington D.C., on September 22. The event attracted Government officials, Diplomats, Industry interests, non-government organizations and academia who attended both in person as well as via the live webcast.
A welcome feature of the initiative was the spotlight on the views of producers in the three countries. Representatives of the Animal products, Grains and Oilseeds and Fruits and Vegetable sectors were able to share their take on the strides made over the years since the signing of NAFTA. In addition to the exponential increase in agricultural trade by the 3 countries, panelists also cited benefits such as increased employment as well as more satisfied consumers. The case of avocado export from Mexico to the USA was particularly interesting as it demonstrated all round gains made during the ensuing years. Noteworthy also were shared views regarding elements for a revised trade agreement.
Stressing the concept of “do no harm” to agricultural trade, the commodity group representatives concurred that gains made by agricultural producers in the respective countries impact economic development in the region and should be retained.
Canada’s speakers at the forum included Cam Dahl, President of Cereals Canada, Edward Farrell, Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, Ron Lemaire, President of Canadian Produce Marketing Association and Ron Bonnett President, Canadian Federation of Agriculture.
The meeting was hosted by the IICA Delegation in the USA as part of the Northern Region work agenda. The Northern Region mechanism of IICA comprises the USA, Mexico, Canada and Spain.
For further information:
Email: Miguel.garcia@iica.int or audia.barnett@iica.int.
