Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and his Mexican counterpart Sec. Victor Villalobos met in Ames, Iowa on Wednesday as part of a series of meetings focused on ag trade between the two countries.
In a joint statement, the two reiterated their commitment to strengthening the relationships between Mexico and the U.S.
“We reaffirm the importance of our two nations’ exceptional agricultural trading relationship,” said the statement.
The discussions highlighted the importance of continuing to work together to advance rural prosperity and to fulfill a shared responsibility to protect agricultural systems and producers, according to USDA.
That includes collaborative efforts to prevent the spread of African swine fever and other animal and plant diseases and pests.
The two also addressed climate change, saying, “our farmers, ranchers and producers are on the front lines dealing with the increasingly urgent challenges of climate change.”
The pair expressed confidence that the U.S. and Mexico agriculture sectors will be a key part of the solution.