Thirteen Illinois Farm Bureau members are traveling to Mexico City on March 9 to strengthen agricultural relationships and gather trade insights before the upcoming review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
The IFB-sponsored delegation includes staff, a board director, Illinois farmers and other agriculture professionals who will spend the week building connections with Mexican counterparts.
“My goal is for each attendee to build meaningful relationships and to serve as a strong spokesperson for Illinois agriculture; both during the trip and long after they return,” said Tasha Bunting, IFB director of commodity programs and food systems, who is leading the market study tour.
The group will meet with Illinois Department of Agriculture officials and Foreign Agricultural Service representatives, with USMCA discussions as a central focus. They also plan to tour CIMMYT, a leading corn and wheat research center, and visit a university to learn about partnerships with U.S. agencies and universities.
The itinerary includes a wet market visit to discuss meat trade issues with U.S. Meat Export Federation representatives and stops at USMEF-affiliated retail locations importing U.S. products.
Delegation members include farmers from Adams, Bond, Crawford, Effingham, Jersey, Kane, Macoupin, Sangamon and Tazewell counties. IFB economic analyst Raelynn Parmely and District 15 Director Steve Koeller will also participate.
