The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) presented Congressman Eligio “Kika

The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) presented Congressman Eligio “Kika” de la Garza with its prestigious Michael Mansfield Award at the USMEF Board of Directors Strategic Planning and Marketing Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona, today.

Named in honor of the former congressman, senator and ambassador to Japan, who died last month, the award recognizes outstanding leadership in expanding opportunities in international trade and has been presented by USMEF only five times.

Congressman de la Garza, who served Texas as a congressman for 32 years, was Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee from 1981 to 1994, and minority leader from 1994 to 1997. He was the moving spirit behind many of the farm bills and agricultural initiatives of the 1980s and 1990s and is well-known in the industry as a friend to U.S. agriculture and U.S. exports.

Like Senator Mansfield, he played an important role in forwarding the cause of free trade and helped the U.S. red meat industry expand its exports through his important contributions to negotiations and diplomacy. A skilled, multilingual communicator who developed close working relationships with the highest-level government officials throughout the world, he was an unwavering voice speaking out on behalf of free trade and its benefits. An expert on national and international law related to agriculture and commerce, de la Garza played a major role in expanding trade with Japan, the former Soviet Union, China, Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and the Far East.

One of Congressman de la Garza’s most famous initiatives was when he invited the Soviet Union’s highest agricultural official to visit the United States. The 1987 trip initiated a new export relationship with Russia. Congressman de la Garza was a firm supporter of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and he chaired the final debate when it was adopted by the U.S. House of Representatives

The U.S. Meat Export Federation 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, sorghum and soybean checkoff programs.

 
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