Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico – The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) officially opened its newest Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) office in Guadalajara, Mexico on March 11, 2024. This expansion strengthens the agricultural trade relationship between the U.S. and Mexico, the U.S.’s second-largest agricultural export market.
FAS Administrator Daniel Whitley presided over the opening ceremony, alongside U.S. Consul General Amy Scanlon and Mexico’s Secretary of Agriculture, Victor Villalobos. Whitley emphasized the importance of this new office, stating it will “tap new export opportunities in Mexico” and signifies the “importance of our agriculture and trade relationship with Mexico.”
The selection of Guadalajara for the new FAS office is strategic. Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco state, is not only Mexico’s second-largest city but also its “breadbasket,” a major center for agricultural production and processing. In 2021, Jalisco contributed over 12% of Mexico’s total agricultural output, including key staples like eggs, milk, chicken and pork, as well as sugar cane and the country’s famed tequila.
The establishment of the FAS office is expected to benefit the entire agricultural supply chain on both sides of the border, from producers and processors to shippers and consumers. U.S.-Mexico bilateral trade in agricultural goods reached a record $76 billion in 2023, highlighting the significance of this economic partnership.