Agriculture Minister Lyle Stewart is attending the Tri-National Agricultural Accord in Denver, Colorado to promote Saskatchewan’s agriculture exports and stress the importance of open trade with two of the province’s biggest trading partners.
The accord represents a long-standing commitment from Canada, the United States and Mexico to work together collaboratively on agricultural trade and development issues.
The U.S. continues to be Saskatchewan’s top agri-food destination, accounting for nearly 25 per cent of all agri-food exports, with sales valued at $3.5 billion. Exports to Mexico are valued at nearly $39 million, making it the province’s fifth largest market.
The province will also focus on building relationships with key federal and state officials and sharing information and advancing discussions with the U.S. and Mexico on priority agriculture issues.
“It’s important that Saskatchewan maintain these long-standing relationships with the United States and Mexico and that we continue to work together on agriculture trade and development issues,” Stewart said. “These three groups are an economic power in agri-foods and I look forward to seeing that power in action at the accord.”
This year’s Canadian delegation will be led by Jeff Leal, Ontario’s Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA). The accord is hosted by the Colorado Department of Agriculture and the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA). It was hosted last year by OMAFRA in Niagara Falls, Ontario. The first trilateral accord took place in Puerto Vallarta in 1992.
Source : Government of Saskatchewan