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Illinois ag looking to build Mexico partnership

The director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture says maintaining a strong relationship with Mexico is vital for the state’s top industry.

Jerry Costello says agriculture relies on strong trading partnerships.

“We exported a little over $1.5 billion in corn to Mexico last year, so they are a major major trading partner.”  He says, “We have close to $3 billion of agricultural trade that we do with Mexico.”

He tells Brownfield that an April trade mission to the country by the state’s top officials was aimed at strengthening that relationship, and it seems to be paying off.

“Reassuring the Mexican people, the Mexican government, that we appreciate their business.”  He says, “We appreciate the bilateral trade and have already had Zoom meetings and what have you with some of the Mexican companies as far as follow up. So, it was a great trade mission.”

Costello says despite ongoing uncertainty around federal trading policies, Illinois officials are trying to expand Mexican markets for the state’s agricultural products.

AUDIO: Jerry Costello – Illinois Department of Agriculture