Four Ag Topics Discussed in Mexico City During USMCA Meetings
Mexico City ran the headlines this week, as Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador hosted President Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for the 10th North American Leaders' Summit.
In their Tuesday meeting, the three leaders shared a conversation including these top takeaways for the ag industry:
1. Semiconductor manufacturing
The three agreed to organize a semiconductor forum with industry representatives and government officials in early 2023 to coordinate semiconductor supply chain needs and investments. Semiconductor companies building new manufacturing facilities in the U.S. would like to put parts of their supply chain in Mexico.
Read more: What to Watch in 2023
2. Methane and food waste reduction
The countries also committed to reducing methane emissions from the solid waste and wastewater sector by at least 15% by 2030 compared with 2020 levels, and to develop a proposal to cut food loss and waste in half by 2030.
3. Energy
Biden, López and Trudeau agreed to create a plan for standards and installation of electric vehicle chargers along their international borders.
The energy topic comes as Mexican officials are in consultations with the U.S. to avoid a U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) dispute panel over Mexican energy policy. Canada has also joined in the complaint.
The U.S. Trade Representative’s office says the policy puts billions of dollars in U.S. investments at risk.
Canada also has concerns over the implementation of an electric-vehicle provision in the Inflation Reduction Act signed by Biden last year.
While Trudeau did not elaborate on his concerns, Biden said Trudeau has "always been there" when he reached out. With that, Biden intends to travel to Canada to discuss the matter in March.
Read more: Title 42 Talks Continue with Biden at U.S./Mexico Border
4. U.S./Mexico Border Wall
Biden, in the meeting, was met with thanks from López Obrador for not building “even one meter of wall.”
"You are the first president of the United States in a very long time who has not built even one meter of wall. We thank you for that, sir," said López Obrador.
The comments come as the Biden administration announced a program to allow 30,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela, collectively, to enter the U.S. legally each month.
Still, López Obrador suggested Biden “insist” Congress regularize undocumented Mexican migrants who work in industries where American employers are struggling mightily to find enough workers.
By the end of the discussion, López Obrador labeled Biden as "a man with conviction.” López Obrador then moved to challenge Biden to improve life across the region, telling him he “holds the key” to change.
“This is the moment for us to determine to do away with this abandonment, this disdain and this forgetfulness for Latin America and the Caribbean,” López Obrador said.
While López Obrador and Biden reserved a moment for a border wall discussion, no commentary was shared regarding GMO corn trade.
Read more: Mexico's GMO Corn Debate Tabled Until 2025, According to Mexico
