06/30/06 Spud industry at meeting on Mexican trade

Farm and Ranch June 30, 2006 Earlier this week a meeting was held in Seattle as part of a follow up to last month's visit to Washington state of Mexican President Vicente Fox. Matt Harris, Director of Trade for the Washington State Potato Commission, attended the meeting and says the focus was on how trade between Washington state and Mexico can progress. Harris: "Heading the Mexican delegation was Dr. Irma Gomez who is the Undersecretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Mexico, and she was there with the Mexican Consulate and met with the Governor's office, met with CTED, met with WSDA, Nintendo, the Port of Seattle, U.S. Bank, the Apple Commission and the Washington State Potato Commission." Harris says industries were able to voice concerns about trade issues with Mexico. Harris: "And from the potato standpoint we discussed to some extent, some of the phyto-sanitary concerns we have between trade for fresh potatoes between the two countries." Harris says Washington's industry looks at exporting about 200 loads of fresh potatoes a year to Mexico under an agreement that currently limits those shipments to an area within 26 kilometers of the U.S.-Mexican border. He says meetings like the one in Seattle will hopefully lead to a more unified trade. That's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report. Brought to you in part by the Washington State Potato Commission. Nutrition today! Good health tomorrow! I'm Bob Hoff on the Northwest Ag Information Network.