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Several agencies within the U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) have bilateral agreements with other countries. This fact sheet focuses
on agreements negotiated by and with USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service. These
agreements are designed to strengthen agricultural ties. By working together on
policy and technical issues, bilateral agreements foster cooperation between the
United States and its trade partners. They provide a framework under which
governments can openly discuss issues such as agribusiness, trade development,
agricultural reform, and mutually beneficial cooperation.
Partner Country: Afghanistan
Form of Agreement: Memorandum of
Understanding
Date Signed: November 2,
2004
Key
Areas of Cooperation: Established a steering committee to monitor the
progress of programs regarding the animal health sector, including disease
surveillance, quality control of drugs and vaccines, supply and distribution of
vaccines and medicines, and food hygiene and inspection.
Partner Country: Brazil
Form of Agreement: Consultative
Committee on Agriculture
Date Signed: June 20, 2003
Key
Areas of Cooperation: Established working groups on trade, sanitary and
phytosanitary issues, and trade capacity building. A new working group
addressing multilateral issues was formed in September 2005. It will convene
prior to meetings of the Codex Alimentarius, International Plant
Protection Convention, and the World Animal Health Organization, which are the
three international standards-setting bodies for food, plants, and animals, and
the Convention on Biological Diversity, which is dedicated to sustainable
development.
Partner Country: China
Form of Agreement: Memorandum of
Understanding
Date Signed: August 29,
2003
Key
Areas of Cooperation: Focuses on science issues related to agricultural
trade and regulations; implementation of regulations governing trade in
agricultural goods; agricultural biotechnology; agricultural crop research;
livestock, poultry, and aquaculture production; food processing, transportation,
and marketing; and natural resources and environmental protection.
Partner Country: China
Form of Agreement: Memorandum of
Understanding; Annex B
Date Signed: December 17,
2005
Key
Areas of Cooperation: Established an animal and plant health working
group.
Partner Country: China
Form of Agreement: Memorandum of
Understanding
Date Signed: November 21,
2003
Key
Areas of Cooperation: Expands U.S.-China cooperation in water resources
and supports long-term collaboration in science and technology. A joint
steering committee addresses water and soil conservation issues.
Partner Country: China
Form of Agreement: Consultative
Mechanism
Date Signed: December 10,
2002
Key
Areas of Cooperation: Facilitates technical exchanges on food safety and
animal and plant health issues.
Partner Country: China
Form of Agreement: Protocol
Date Signed: December 10,
2002
Key
Areas of Cooperation: Focuses on biotechnology, natural resource
management, dairy production, food safety, processing of agricultural products,
and water saving agricultural technology.
Partner Country: India
Form of Agreement: Joint Declaration
Date Signed: November 12,
2005
Key Areas of Cooperation: Established a
knowledge initiative board of Indian and U.S. government officials, academics,
and private sector participants to cooperatively carry out activities in
institutional capacity building, curriculum development, training, emerging
technologies, processing and marketing of foods and biofuels, and natural
resources and water management.
Partner Country: Madagascar
Form of Agreement: Memorandum of
Understanding
Date Signed: July 15, 2005
Key
Areas of Cooperation: Focuses on rural development; sanitary and
phytosanitary regulations; agricultural research, extension, and education; and
agricultural investment.
Partner Country: Mexico
Form of Agreement: Memorandum of
Understanding
Date Signed: July 30, 2003
Key
Areas of Cooperation: Addresses environmental, conservation, and
sustainable natural resource practices through a bilateral working group.
Partner Country: Mexico
Form of Agreement: Memorandum of
Understanding
Date Signed: July 13, 2005
Key
Areas of Cooperation: Improves access to USDA’s rural development programs
for Mexican-Americans and eligible Mexicans living in the United States by
ensuring that program information is disseminated in English and Spanish.
Partner Country: Philippines
Form of Agreement: Memorandum of
Agreement
Date Signed: November 19,
2001
Key
Areas of Cooperation: Focuses on stabilizing the Philippines’ agricultural
sector through agricultural, scientific, and technical cooperation.
Partner Country: Russia
Form of Agreement: Memorandum of
Understanding
Date Signed: May 2, 2003
Key
Areas of Cooperation: Focuses on building a favorable climate for
agricultural trade, investment, and agribusiness development by collaborating on
veterinary and phytosanitary issues; developing joint agricultural research,
extension, and education activities; and enhancing agricultural policies and
sustainable development in rural areas.
Partner Country: Spain
Form of Agreement: Memorandum of
Understanding
Date Signed: April 12, 2000
Key
Areas of Cooperation: Addresses technical agricultural issues of benefit
to both countries, including using plant virus technology to remediate soils
contaminated by heavy metals, selecting and modifying the genomes of plant
pathogens to change their population density, developing methods to control
damage caused by citrus viruses, and improving vaccines to combat animal
pathogens, citrus diseases, and strawberry leaf spot. Other areas of
cooperation include training, especially for rural women and youth, and
technology transfer.
Partner Country: Uruguay
Form of Agreement: Memorandum of
Understanding
Date Signed: October 13,
2002
Key
Areas of Cooperation: Focuses on agricultural science and
technology, including biotechnology; cereal and oil crops; horticulture;
forestry; animal production; food quality and safety; biodiversity; germplasm
conservation, enhancement, and exchange; plant health and breeding; natural
resource conservation; agricultural waste management; farming systems; crop
forecasting; and organizational development.
Partner Country: Vietnam
Form of Agreement: Memorandum of
Agreement
Date Signed: June 21, 2005
Key
Areas of Cooperation: Addresses research, extension, training, and
information on agricultural production and trade policies, regulations, and
legislation, including biotechnology, biodiversity, plant and animal diseases,
seed science and technology, and water treatment methods.
