The upcoming 2024 Spring Policy Summit, organized by the Fresh Produce Association of the Americas, has an agenda focused on the biggest topics affecting U.S.-Mexico trade. Panel discussions will explore trade agreements, port disruptions and their impacts, food safety regulations, and the ongoing topic of contention, the Tomato Suspension Agreement. 

The conference facilitates conversation between industry leaders and government officials about the latest policy updates and events affecting agriculture and commerce. 

FPAA President Lance Jungmeyer says the aim is to bring government leadership to the border and expose officials to the realities for exporters and importers on the ground. The hope is to facilitate collaborative trade solutions between industry and government. 

“As an organization, we’ve been for many years going to visit Washington D.C with our members,” Jungmeyer explained. “That works for a bit but sometimes you need to bring people from Washington D.C to see what happens at the border.” 

The event is strategically located in Tubac, Arizona, a quick drive from the U.S.-Mexico border. Conversations will center on the United States and Mexico’s working relationship, including trade deals, border operations, and how the fresh produce industry operates between both countries. 

Elections and trade outlook

The upcoming U.S. presidential election, including its potential impact on the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, will be a key subject at the 2024 summit. In 2019, the association contributed to policy discussions to update the USMCA, formerly called NAFTA. 

“When Trump became president, he spoke about renegotiating NAFTA and we spent the next few years renegotiating that,” Jungmeyer said. “One of the things we had to do as an association in that period was make sure that the Seasonal Produce provision didn’t get put into place. Now, as we look at the next iteration of the agreement, FPAA will be very active in the renegotiation.”

A key topic is making sure the Southwest border is operational, he explained, adding that the industry has suffered losses due to Washington’s crackdown on immigration and border security. 

“In Texas for example, the governor has sporadically done inspections on trucks coming in, above and beyond what the federal government is doing,” he said. 

Last year, trade executives publicly objected to port entry closures and truck inspections by Texas DPS, saying it caused major disruptions and several hundred million dollars in damages. To prevent further delay in entries, FPAA hopes the conversations at the summit will advance solutions to move produce more efficiently. USDA and FDA officials will be in attendance at the summit, speaking on their inspection priorities. 

The event will be held at the Tubac Golf Resort and Spa on April 3, 2024.