Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer will lead a
U.S. Agribusiness Trade and Investment Mission
to the Central American region Sept. 21-24 to
further promote two-way cooperation, trade and
investment between the United States and
companies in Central America and the Dominican
Republic. Secretary Schafer will also meet
with high-level government officials and visit
U.S. agricultural development assistance and
export certification facilities.
"Face to face business contact adds great
value to these trade agreements in place among
our governments," said Schafer. "There are 17
U.S. agribusinesses traveling with us, who will
develop additional lines of commerce by meeting
with nearly 70 Central American and Dominican
Republic companies. This is an excellent
business opportunity on both sides of this
two-way trade equation. The Central
America Free Trade Agreement is expanding trade,
improving competitiveness, and accelerating
economic growth everywhere it is in place
throughout this region."
In the short time the agreement has been in
effect with the Central American nations of El
Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua and
the Dominican Republic, two-way trade of
agricultural products with the United States is
expected to meet or exceed $5 billion in 2008.
Two-way trade grew 21 percent from $3.8 billion
in 2006 to nearly $4.6 billion in 2007—less than
a year after the agreement had come into force
with these five countries.
The mission's goal is to promote trade and
investment, particularly in the processed goods,
beverages, livestock genetics, meat and poultry,
agricultural equipment, dairy products,
fertilizer, and organic goods sectors.
Participating U.S. companies will have the
opportunity to form partnerships and joint
ventures with Central American companies and
entrepreneurs from El Salvador, Guatemala,
Honduras, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and the
Dominican Republic.
For more information, contact Darrell Upshaw
of USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service at tel.:
(202) 690-1786, or e-mail him at:
Darrell.Upshaw@fas.usda.gov
More
about the Dominican Republic-Central
America–United States Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR)
Exporting Under CAFTA–DR
CAFTA–DR Business Development Mission,
U.S. Department of Commerce
How U.S. Companies Can Benefit
U.S. Commercial Service Trade Americas Website
Tariff Elimination Schedules
Documenting Origin
Rules of Origin
U.S. Commercial Service Central America Website
U.S. Commercial Service Dominican Republic
Website
Additional CAFTA–DR Resources
The White House Web Page on CAFTA–DR
USTR Page on CAFTA
Country Information (World Fact Book)
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Costa Rica
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Dominican Republic
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El Salvador
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Guatemala
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Honduras
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Nicaragua