New agreement could benefit Texas ranchers
By Diego Flammini, Farms.com
As a result of a meeting consisting of delegates from the United States and Ecuador, the South American country and the United States have reached an agreement to trade cattle with one another.
The meeting, held by the Texas Department of Agriculture and included Minister Javier Ponce Cevallos, Ecuador’s undersecretary of livestock, saw Brahman cattle from Texas ranches be sold to Ecuadorian producers.
“I’m excited to see leaders from different countries working together to improve trade relations and grow opportunities for Texas producers to market and sell their goods at home and abroad,” said Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller. “These types of trade agreements help Texas ranchers by opening new markets and showcasing the quality of Texas breeding programs.”
With Texas producing the most cattle in the United States, they could benefit greatly from the new agreement. Exports like beef, sheep and goats could also see improvements.
“The Ecuadorian breeders are known for demanding quality cattle,” said Sloan Williams, owner of V8 Ranch. “We are so honored that the Ministry of Agriculture officials came to Texas ranches to select our highest quality bulls for this historic exportation. I am certain that these Texas-bred bulls will be an asset to the agriculture industry of Ecuador, and I look forward to seeing their impact."
Here’s how trade between the United States and Ecuador breaks down:
- US agricultural exports to Ecuador in 2013 were $424 million. Most exported items were soybean meal, wheat and cotton
- Ecuador exported $987 million worth of agricultural products to the US in 2013. Bananas and plantains, nursery products and cocoa beans were the leading export items.
Tell us your thoughts on the new trade agreement with the United States and Ecuador. As a livestock producer are you optimistic about the opportunities this could bring?