Leaders of SAGARPA, the Mexican agriculture department, the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) and the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) met this week in Mexico City in association with a Council and NCGA joint officer mission visiting government and industry officials in the top U.S. corn export market.

The meeting focused on reinforcing the longtime partnership between U.S. and Mexican agriculture built around open trade under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Under NAFTA, Mexico has achieved substantial growth in their livestock industry due to efficient access to U.S. grains and other commodities. Similarly, U.S. farmers and exporters have benefited from rapidly increasing demand for corn, distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS), sorghum and other grains.

The group acknowledged the importance of innovation, collaboration and open trade to meeting increased demand for protein in North America and the world. They also emphasized the importance of a successful conclusion to ongoing NAFTA modernization discussions to certainty in the regional marketplace.

The leaders committed to continued open discussions and efforts to remain trustworthy business partners, as they have for the past three decades.