USDA Leads Largest Agribusiness Trade Mission to Mexico Under Secretary Brooke Rollins
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced that she led the largest USDA agribusiness trade mission to Mexico last week, marking a significant milestone in U.S.–Mexico agricultural cooperation. The mission brought together an impressive delegation of 41 U.S. businesses, 33 cooperators and agricultural advocacy groups, six state departments of agriculture, and a total of 150 participants. Over the course of the trip, the delegation conducted 500 business-to-business meetings, underscoring strong commercial interest in expanding agricultural trade between the two countries.
According to USDA officials, the mission represented a “critical opportunity for American business to further trade ties and for USDA to continue its aggressive response to New World Screwworm (NWS) in Mexico and continue to hold Mexico accountable for its commitments to the 1944 Water Treaty.“
Secretary Rollins highlighted the importance of the relationship between the United States and Mexico—both strategically and economically—and emphasized that strengthening these ties remains a key priority for the administration.
“The trading and diplomatic relationship between our two countries is of the utmost importance to President Trump and American farmers and ranchers. Whether it is securing the Southern Border from illegal migration, combatting New World Screwworm, or expanding market access for American agricultural products, we are working every day to put American interests first. I thank President Claudia Sheinbaum for welcoming me to the Presidential Palace where we had a productive and positive conversation about how we will continue to work closely together to eradicate the NWS which is negatively impacting both our economies, including conducting a comprehensive joint review of our NWS response and efforts to ensure enforcement of our joint responsibilities in the 1944 water treaty. This week was an incredible opportunity to connect buyers and sellers with over 500 meetings over three days, pushing for American exports into Mexico’s ethanol market, and discuss the upcoming review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement.”
The trade mission also advanced conversations on market access, particularly in ethanol, and reinforced collaborative work on New World Screwworm eradication, a critical effort to protect livestock industries on both sides of the border.
With a strong turnout and actionable outcomes, USDA officials say the mission set the stage for deeper economic engagement and stronger agricultural partnerships between the United States and Mexico in the months ahead.
Audio Reporting by Dale Sandlin for Southeast AgNet.