The leaders of three U.S. dairy organizations returned from a three-day trip to Mexico last week, reassured that the relationship with the industry’s top trading partner remains strong amid the Mexican leaders’ uncertainty about U.S. policy on North American trade.

Michael Dykes, D.V.M., IDFA president and CEO, was joined by Tom Vilsack, president and CEO of the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) and Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) for the Mexican visit.

“Our conversations were very productive,” said Dykes. “The leaders were candid about their current concerns with the U.S. and appreciated our commitment to our partnership.”

The dairy leaders met with Ildefonso Guajardo, Mexico’s Minister of Economy, José Calzada, Mexico’s Secretary of Agriculture, and the officials’ teams as well as representatives of FEMELECHE, a major Mexican producer organization and the Cámara Nacional de Industriales de la Leche, a major Mexican dairy foods association.

In the meetings, U.S. dairy leaders reiterated their steadfast commitment to preserving a strong trade partnership with Mexico, just as renegotiations on the North American Free Trade Agreement are expected to begin.

Extensive media coverage of the visit was captured in both Mexican and American news outlets.

IDFA is featuring highlights of social media coverage from trip in a Twitter Moment. 

For more information, contact Beth Hughes, IDFA director of international affairs, at bhughes@idfa.org.