Educational Seminars Strengthen Relations with Mexican Officials
Educational Seminars Strengthen Relations with Mexican Officials
More than 300 government officials in Mexico were the target audience for a series of eight seminars conducted in 2009 to foster a broader understanding of U.S. food safety practices as well as the quality of U.S. pork, beef and poultry.
Seminar attendees and speakers pose for a photo in Tijuana
Mexican customs officials, customs brokers and SENASICA (Mexico’s Health, Agri-food Safety and Quality Services agency) were among those who participated in the sessions organized by USMEF, Comecarne (Mexican Meat Council) and the U.S. Poultry and Egg Export Council (USAPEEC).
The eight sessions each averaged about 40 attendees and were held around the country: Mexico City, Nuevo Laredo, Reynosa, Ciudad Juarez, Tijuana, Nogales, Manzanillo and Veracruz. The Mexico City seminar had 60 attendees including SENASICA Inspections Director Arturo Calderon. At the same session, Eugenio Salinas, president of Comecarne (Mexican Meat Council), talked about the importance of improving training and communication between public and private entities involved in importing and exporting meat and poultry products.
“These seminars not only better inform key officials and individuals who have a direct role in the clearance of U.S. red meats entering Mexico, but they also facilitate relationship building and enhance USMEF efforts to troubleshoot and resolve problems at points of entry if they should occur,” said Chad Russell, USMEF regional director for Mexico and the Dominican Republic.
The agenda for the seminars, which were produced with funding from both the Pork Checkoff and Beef Checkoff as well as USDA Market Access Program (MAP) funds, covers a range of topics including the FSIS meat inspection process, types of U.S. beef and pork cuts, meat classification, branded beef programs and the HACCP program.
“Both SENASICA and Customs officials indicated that they found the training highly beneficial,” said USMEF-Mexico Technical Manager Alex Valdez, “and they have asked USMEF to continue the seminars in 2010.”
Through November of 2009, Mexico has been the largest foreign market in terms of volume for both U.S. beef and pork exports, and the largest value market for beef. So far in 2009, the U.S. has sold to Mexico 267,227 metric tons (589 million pounds) of beef and beef variety meat valued at $837.4 million, and 451,483 metric tons (995 million pounds) of pork and pork variety meat valued at $672 million.
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The U.S. Meat Export Federation (www.USMEF.org) is the trade association responsible for developing international markets for the U.S. red meat industry and is funded by USDA, exporting companies, and the beef, pork, corn and soybean checkoff programs.
For more information, contact Jim Herlihy at jherlihy@usmef.org.
USMEF complies with all equal opportunity, non-discrimination and affirmative action measures applicable to it by contract, government rule or regulation or as otherwise provided by law.
Educational Seminars Strengthen Relations with Mexican Officials
More than 300 government officials in Mexico were the target audience for a series of eight seminars conducted in 2009 to foster a broader understanding of U.S. food safety practices as well as the quality of U.S. pork, beef and poultry.
Seminar attendees and speakers pose for a photo in Tijuana
Mexican customs officials, customs brokers and SENASICA (Mexico’s Health, Agri-food Safety and Quality Services agency) were among those who participated in the sessions organized by USMEF, Comecarne (Mexican Meat Council) and the U.S. Poultry and Egg Export Council (USAPEEC).
The eight sessions each averaged about 40 attendees and were held around the country: Mexico City, Nuevo Laredo, Reynosa, Ciudad Juarez, Tijuana, Nogales, Manzanillo and Veracruz. The Mexico City seminar had 60 attendees including SENASICA Inspections Director Arturo Calderon. At the same session, Eugenio Salinas, president of Comecarne (Mexican Meat Council), talked about the importance of improving training and communication between public and private entities involved in importing and exporting meat and poultry products.
“These seminars not only better inform key officials and individuals who have a direct role in the clearance of U.S. red meats entering Mexico, but they also facilitate relationship building and enhance USMEF efforts to troubleshoot and resolve problems at points of entry if they should occur,” said Chad Russell, USMEF regional director for Mexico and the Dominican Republic.
The agenda for the seminars, which were produced with funding from both the Pork Checkoff and Beef Checkoff as well as USDA Market Access Program (MAP) funds, covers a range of topics including the FSIS meat inspection process, types of U.S. beef and pork cuts, meat classification, branded beef programs and the HACCP program.
“Both SENASICA and Customs officials indicated that they found the training highly beneficial,” said USMEF-Mexico Technical Manager Alex Valdez, “and they have asked USMEF to continue the seminars in 2010.”
Through November of 2009, Mexico has been the largest foreign market in terms of volume for both U.S. beef and pork exports, and the largest value market for beef. So far in 2009, the U.S. has sold to Mexico 267,227 metric tons (589 million pounds) of beef and beef variety meat valued at $837.4 million, and 451,483 metric tons (995 million pounds) of pork and pork variety meat valued at $672 million.
# # #
The U.S. Meat Export Federation (www.USMEF.org) is the trade association responsible for developing international markets for the U.S. red meat industry and is funded by USDA, exporting companies, and the beef, pork, corn and soybean checkoff programs.
For more information, contact Jim Herlihy at jherlihy@usmef.org.
USMEF complies with all equal opportunity, non-discrimination and affirmative action measures applicable to it by contract, government rule or regulation or as otherwise provided by law.