| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | CONTACT: Ron Zellar |
| April 14, 2005 | (406) 444-3144 TTY (406) 444-4687 |
Director in Talks with Canada, Mexico Officials
HELENA, Mont. — Director Nancy K. Peterson of the Montana Department of Agriculture is meeting this week in Sacramento, Calif., on trade and border issues with counterparts from the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Trade issues on the agenda of the Tri-National Agricultural Accord meetings include food safety, animal health border requirements, pesticide price and availability, homeland security prevention and rural economic development.
"Animal health issues including bovine spongiform encephalopathy or BSE disease have already generated much discussion," Peterson said Thursday. "Our Canadian friends want the border reopened immediately to live cattle while we in Montana and other states are concerned about the impact on trade with other countries and concerned by the recent findings of new BSE cases north of our borders."
Tri-National Agricultural Accord meetings are held each year and are rotated among the three countries. The 2004 session was held in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
