Representatives of the produce industry from Canada, Mexico and the United States, as well as government officials from all three countries to discuss cross-border issues gathered Tuesday as United Fresh hosted a meeting of the North American Trade Committee of the Canadian Produce Marketing Association.

"It is very valuable when the industry can present a uniform position on certain issues to all three federal governments within the NAFTA trading bloc," said Robert Guenther, senior vice president of public policy at United Fresh.

The committee looks at ways to enhance information sharing and, to the extent possible, harmonize federal requirements in order to increase the efficiency of the fresh produce trade. At the meeting, the committee considered issues including food safety, pesticide registration, traceability and border inspection activities.

Federal representatives at the meeting included speakers from USDA, EPA and Customs/Border Protection to explain regulatory programs that are underway or in the process of implementation.

For more information on international trade issues, contact United Fresh at 202-303-3400.