Mexican and Canadian officials have agreed to strengthen their trade relationship by building a dedicated distribution center in the province of Manitoba for produce from the hispanic country, and by working toward an organic equivalency arrangement. 

The development is part of the Mexico-Canada Alliance (AMC) that was established in 2004 in a bid to bolster bilateral trade opportunities and promote high-level dialogue between the public and private sectors.

At the recent 9th AMC Agribusiness Meeting, officials from Mexico's National Service for Agricultural Health, Safety and Quality (SENASICA) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) agreed to undertake more joint venture projects and increase investment.

SENASICA and CFIA officials also agreed on the need to establish an organic equivalency deal, whereby organic produce from either country could be labeled as such in the other country without the need for further certification.

A meeting is due to be held in Ottawa this November where working groups from both nations with discuss a range of topics including the appropriate use of new technologies, the promotion of strategic alliances for technological exchange, and farm innovations.

Canada and Mexico will also examine a list of non-tariff barriers like the movement of goods across the U.S., country of origin labeling, and inspection fees from the U.S. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).

In addition, a joint inventory will be prepared detailing agricultural research projects, and officials will also identify areas for further collaborate research.

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