Leaders of U.S. and Mexican dairy industry organizations have pledged to work together towards improving trade between the two countries, addressing mutual challenges, and increasing dairy consumption while promoting milk production on both sides of the border.

A memorandum, signed by the dairy leaders after a two day summit this week, created a US-Mexico Dairy Alliance. The Alliance will meet annually to exchange information, review and discuss industry trends, and identify solutions for problems affecting either side.

The further reduction of trade barriers between the two countries is a major priority moving forward, as well as the defense against efforts to capture generic cheese names like parmesan, asiago and feta for the exclusive use of some European producers.

Signing the memorandum for the United States were Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation, and Tom Suber, president of the U.S. Dairy Export Council. Signing for Mexico were Salvador Álvarez Morán, president of the Mexico Livestock Association (CNOG) and Juan Carlos Pardo, president of the National Chamber of Industrial Milk (CANILEC).

“Since NAFTA, our markets have converged seeing both U.S. and Mexican dairy farmers growing,” said Mulheron. “U.S. dairy exports to Mexico have increased significantly, while Mexico’s internal milk production has also seen expansion.”

“At the same time,” added Suber, “volatile markets, increased imports from third countries and consumer misinformation about dairy products pose challenges for the dairy industries in both countries that can be best solved through both industries working together.”