Mexico achieves membership to the OIE Council for the first time

According to a press release from SAGARPA, the World Assembly of Delegates of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), representing 180 countries, has elected Mexico for a three-year term as a board member of this international body for the very first time.
During its 83rd General Session, the highest governing body of the OIE, the Assembly of Delegates, voted director general of animal health of Mexico's agricultural ministry, SAGARPA, Joaquín Braulio Delgadillo, to serve on the board as delegate of Mexico to the OIE.
Similarly, the 180 delegates of the member countries of the OIE elected the director of the National Center of Diagnostic Services in Animal Health (CENASA) of SENASICA, Juan Antonio Montaño, as a member of the Scientific Commission, which also includes delegates from Italy, Sylvia Bellini and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Baptiste Dungu.
The OIE Council is comprised of the President of the Assembly of Delegates, the Vice President, the outgoing President and six Delegates representing all regions (two for the Americas), elected for a term of three years.
The Assembly of Delegates resolved to grant the presidency of the Council for 2015 to the delegate of South Africa, Botlhe Michael Modisane and vice presidency to the delegate of Australia, Mark Chipp and the outgoing president, Karin Schwabenbauer, delegate of Germany, who remains part the Council for next three years.
The Council also includes the delegate of Mexico, Joaquín Braulio Delgadillo, representing North America, Central America and the Caribbean, and for South America, the delegate of Paraguay, Hugo Benitez Idoyaga.
Council members help ensure the transparency of the world animal health situation, collect, analyze and disseminate relevant scientific information, particularly on methods of disease control and animal welfare, facilitate trade and avoid creating unnecessary trade barriers.
Being part of the OIE Council implies that Mexican health authorities will be involved in the development of standards and policies, as well as the decision-making processes on animal health worldwide. For Mexico, membership to the OIE Board means having the opportunity to support and promote the "One Health" vision that allows to comprehensively address animal health and public health worldwide.
Mexico’s collaboration in the Council will positively affect the international arena and will lead to a new national vision to address health issues from an inclusive perspective and integrate all aspects and players.
Promoting the collaborative approach of "One Health" at national level means providing sustainable and solid support to a coordinated prevention of diseases that impact animal and public health and the human-animal interface.

Mexico corn production may grow 2.6 percent

Corn production in Mexico may increase 2.6 percent from 2012 on expanded planting, according to the United Nations’ Food & Agriculture Organization.
Mexico may harvest 22.4 million metric tons of corn in 2013, up from 21.836 million metric tons in 2013. Farmers have begun planting corn for the main spring-summer crop, which accounts for 70 percent of the country’s total output. The secondary autumn-winter crop, which is still being harvested, may be 4.8 million metric tons, 10 percent smaller than in 2012 because of frost damage in January, said the FAO.
Mexico’s grain imports in the 2012–2013 marketing year that began October 1 may drop 12 percent from 2011–2012 to about 16 million metric tons. The country bought 9.54 million metric tons of corn from the U.S. in the 2011–2012 season, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates.

Mexico drought costs farmers billions in crop losses

A severe drought in Mexico has cost farmers $1.18 billion in lost harvests, killed 60,000 head of cattle and weakened 2 million more livestock, pushing up food prices and causing the country's government to allot $2.65 billion in emergency aid to help offset the damage, according to reports.
The overall cost to Latin America's second-largest economy from the worst drought in Mexico's history is still being calculated, as the ramifications are expected to worsen, according to the government. "Droughts are cyclical — we know that — but they are growing more frequent and severe due to climate change," said Elvira Quesada, the minister for the environment and natural resources. Poor weather destroyed 7.5 million acres of cultivatable land in 2011, according to Mexico's agricultural association. That number helped increase the country's food imports by 35 percent, a trend likely to continue through the 2012–2013 crop cycle.
Experts are predicting that Mexico will have to spend billions of dollars in the next two decades to maintain an adequate water supply for irrigation and drinking water, as climate change continues to make conditions challenging. More than 400,000 residents in the six driest states were without water at the end of December, with reservoirs in two states half-empty and another two less than a quarter full. "We're at the point of no return," said Ignacio Becerra, a local priest. "The northern part of the country is drying out. If the rains don't come, the situation is going to be worse than serious. It will be a disaster."
Summer rains typically break the winter dry spell but water authority Conagua expects March rainfall to be half of normal years and it does not see a break to the crisis before July.

Mexico corn production cut due to extreme drought

Mexico's worst drought in 70 years has caused the country's government to cut its corn forecast a second time to 20 million metric tons, compared to a previously revised estimate of 23 million metric tons, according to reports.
Tens of thousands of acres of crops have already been lost in the drought that has affected nearly 70% of Mexico, and 450,000 cattle have died. Dams are at 30% to 40% capacity. The Mexican government has so far set aside some 1.6 billion pesos (US$113 million) in aid to cover losses. "It's a troubling situation, and is more worrisome because the rainy season is over," said Felipe Arreguin, deputy director of the National Water Commission. "The hope is that by June it starts to rain."
If the drought continues, analysts say authorities will have to raise food imports to cover lower domestic production.

Mexico corn output drops, imports hit record

Mexico's domestic corn output estimates have dropped to 22 million metric tons, from an original estimate of 25.1 million metric tons, forcing the country to increase their estimated imports by 36% to 12.1 million metric tons, according to Hector Salazar, the secretary general of the National Confederation of Farmers. 
Corn futures have already surged by 69% in the last year due to supply concerns, and Mexico's crops were cut by 4.5 million metric tons after frost last winter in the northern region, according to the country's Agriculture Ministry. Mexico usually imports between 8 million and 9 million metric tons of yellow corn per year.

Brazil, Mexico to move forward on bilateral free-trade agreement

The Unity Summit of Latin America and the Caribbean in late February served as a platform for Mexico and Brazil to move discussions forward on a possible bilateral free-trade agreement, according to SourceMex.
However, members of Mexico’s agricultural industry are worried about the affect an agreement would have on their businesses. Mexico is already importing more food from Brazil than it is exporting to the country, thanks in part to Brazil’s more generous agricultural subsidies, which allow Brazilian producers to price their products competitively. Between 2004 and 2008, Mexico’s agricultural trade deficit with Brazil was US$141M.