Departments and Offices
USDA Foreign Agricultural Services (FAS)
The Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) works to promote foreign market access for U.S. products, build new markets, improve the competitive position of U.S. agriculture in the global marketplace, and provide food aid and technical assistance to foreign countries. The Managua office works closely with the government and private sector to ensure proper administration of the Food for Progress / Food for Education Programs and reduce barriers to trade while monitoring implementation of the Central American Free Trade Agreement / Dominican Republic (CAFTA/DR).
Contact us:
Tel. (505) 2252-7100, ext. 7621 and 7153
Email: AgManagua@fas.usda.gov
Information on programs can be also obtained at http://www.fas.usda.gov
HIGHLIGHTS
Washington, D.C. – United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk and U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced on Monday that while the United States continues to closely monitor for cases of the new H1N1 human influenza, the American food supply is safe. USTR and USDA are working closely with the departments of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to monitor the situation carefully.
In their announcement, Kirk and Vilsack cite references from the World Health Organization (WHO) and CDC statements that there is no evidence of swine influenza being transmitted by meat. According to CDC website: (http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/swineflu_you.htm). “Swine influenza viruses are not spread by food. You cannot get swine influenza from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork products is safe”.
To read the full press release, please visit the following link: http://www.fas.usda.gov/
Link to the statements made by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE): http://www.oie.int/eng/press/en_090428.htm
USAID sponsored a series of events to highlight the third anniversary of the implementation in Nicaragua of the Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR). USAID organized media events and produced a video and a newspaper insert that highlighted the USG assistance and CAFTA-DR successes.
Approximately 500 private sector leaders and members of the various business chambers, entrepreneurs and producers, government officials, and media attended the Evening Seminar on “Retos y oportunidades para Nicaragua en el CAFTA-DR: El camino por venir”, held on March 31st, 2009, at the Crowne Plaza Convention Center. The program included remarks by Ambassador Robert J. Callahan; Alvaro Baltodano, Director of ProNicaragua; Roger Arteaga, AMCHAM President; and key note speaker Jeffry Frieden Harvard University professor of political economy; and Eduardo Montiel (from INCAE) opened the event.
Over 30 businesses and organizations had stands at the CAFTA-DR fair and workshops, which were open to the public all day April 1st, 2009, at the Crowne Plaza Convention Center. The Nicaraguan government had stands from MIFIC and MARENA. The USG was represented at the fair by USAID’s ProCafta stand, USDA, the Department of Labor and by several USAID partner organizations. The stands displayed Nicaraguan exports and provided information on CAFTA-DR. A series of workshops were also conducted at the fair on the topics of U.S. market opportunities, agro-exports, intellectual property, mediation and arbitration, environmental requirements of CAFTA-DR, quality standards, and others.
Continuing efforts to consolidate understanding of the biotechnological field, UNAN-Managua strengths human capital to institutionalize knowledge and applications of agricultural biotechnology. Dr. Iván Marín, an FY06 Cochran Fellowship Program participant and FY08 Faculty Exchange Alumnus, carried out the workshop as part of a series of outreach and educational activities programmed for CY 2009 at UNAN-Managua. The workshop focused on the following topics: 1) Concept and types of biotechnology; 2) DNA technology and biotechnological tools; 3) Analysis process in gene sequence and amplification; 4) Site recognition identified by the enzymes that cut DNA; 5) Procedures and cloning vector characteristics; and 6) Utilization of molecular markers to study the specific sequences of DNA in a genome, among others.
Distribuidora el Socorro, S.A. (DISOCSA) a small Nicaraguan importer managed by the Vega-Urbina family, has grown with the support and guidance from FAS/Managua, said Mrs. Mercedes Urbina, DISOCSA’s General Manager.
Since 2003, DISOCSA attended the Food and Marketing Institute tradeshow in Chicago; the International Food and Beverage Show held in Miami and participated in a cold chain seminar and then a Cochran training on the retail sector. Currently, DISOCSA not only distributes to mom and pop stores but also to the largest chains of supermarkets in Nicaragua and to high scale restaurants and hotels nationwide. DISOCSA’s success showcases the results of FAS/Managua’s efforts to promote U.S. agricultural products in Nicaragua and serves as an example on the potential use of FAS’ programs to support U.S. exports while taking advantage of lower import duties under CAFTA-DR.
Members of the Vega-Urbina Family
From left to right: Ms. Sherryzahara
Vega, Administrative Manager;
Mrs. Mercedes Urbina, General Manager,
and Mr. Guillermo Vega, Logistics Manager.The National Police Commissary (NPC), a small Nicaraguan importer owned and managed by the Nicaraguan National Police, has benefited from FAS/Managua’s market intelligence and marketing promotion activities. Since 2003, NPC started attending tradeshows promoted by FAS/Managua, including the International Food and Beverage Show held in Miami and the Food and Marketing Institute Show in Chicago. In 2005, NPC participated in a cold chain seminar organized by FAS/Managua. In the same year, NPC’s Marketing Manager, Mr. Larry Dávila, was selected to participate in a Cochran training on the retail sector. NPC’s success showcases the results of FAS/Managua’s efforts to promote U.S. agricultural products in Nicaragua.
Mr. Larry Dávila, Cochran Alumnus &
Executive General Manager of NPC Retail
Stores Nationwide
About the Embassy
Departments and Offices
U.S. Department of Agriculture
