NMDA leads inbound trade mission to export New Mexico livestock More ag trade missions to come, says international marketing specialist
by Katie Goetz, New Mexico Department of Agriculture
A
recent trade mission has revived New Mexico Department of Agriculture’s (NMDA) efforts to help ranchers in the Land of Enchantment develop markets in foreign lands. Juan Sanchez and David Lucero, both of NMDA’s Marketing and Development Division, introduced a group of 10 ranchers from the Mexican states of Chihuahua and Coahuila to local ranchers attending the 2015 New Mexico Joint Stockmen’s Convention in Albuquerque, Dec. 3-6. “Working with the New Mexico Cattle Growers’ Association, we were able to [set up] an international room within the convention,” in order to allow for private, one-on-one discussion away from the convention hall, Sanchez said. He said Mexican culture is big on building relationships as the first step in doing business. With Sanchez and Lucero providing
translation, about a dozen New Mexico Sanchez says new genetics are still in high ranchers stopped by individually to talk demand. about their ranches, genetics, and how they “We set our goals to revamp [our] export sell their cattle. Several shared photos, cat- program and this inbound mission was a alogs, and EPDs of their herd. NMDA also big step in that direction,” Sanchez said. welcomed Jose Luis Gabilondo from the “The Mexican inbound group was very Santa Teresa International Livestock Cross- impressed with our genetics and showed a ing to answer questions about the export/ lot of interest in returning in the spring to import process. The group also visited two purchase bulls.” ranches in the area. The next mission Sanchez is planning “The buyers not only had the opportu- will be in March, so that Mexican buyers can nity to view live animals, but also got to experience how cattle ranches operate in New Mexico,” Sanchez said. One potential buyer from Mexico, Benito Franco Grajeda, was interviewed about the mission by his local newspaper in Parral, Chihuahua. You can read the article (in Spanish) at goo. gl/0RUyF3. The NMDA Trade Mission from Mexico gathered for a Mexican ranchers are dealing group photo: Back row (l to r): Tiffany Rivera (NMDA), with some of the same issues as Adrian Arras Jurado, Luis Enrique Estrada Jerez, Carlos their counterparts in New Mexico: Corral Andujo, Jorge Montes Lightbourn, Ernesto Luis a prolonged drought, lower Amador Miranda, Eric Beckman Jurado, Juan Sanchez (NMDA), Larry Dominguez (NMDA). Front row from left: inventories of cattle, higher costs. Benito Franco Grajeda, Sergio Siller Chapa, New Mexico Dealing with third-party brokers Sec. of Agriculture Jeff Witte (NMDA), Rafael Arzola and other cross-border issues Carrasco, David Lucero (NMDA), Anthony Parra (NMDA), create additional hurdles, but Dustin Cox (NMDA).
8150 Thompson Road • Miles, Texas 76861 • 325-659-3992 • 1-800-750-9608 48
JANUARY 2016