By RACHEL LANE

D.C. Correspondent

WASHINGTON, D.C. — While much attention is on North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) renegotiations and the need for trade deals in Asia, USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney has focused on visiting some of the United States’ smaller trading partners.

Last week, he spent time in Colombia and Panama, countries the U.S. has had free trade agreements with since 2012. Previously, he has visited India and Brazil.

“We remind ourselves and our trading partners that we’re open for business and interested in business, and I do mean two-way exchanges. Trade is a two-way street. We have to be open to certain imports, just of course as we are interested in exports,” he said during a press conference Friday. “We’re not leaving any country behind.”

Unlike with NAFTA and the U.S.-South Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS), McKinney said he has not heard any mention of redoing or updating the agreements with Panama and Colombia.

Trade with Colombia allows U.S. agriculture to export about $2.4 billion worth of goods, while imports from Colombia are about $2.3 billion, much from ag products not grown here – like coffee and bananas. It is the No. 1 food and agricultural importer of U.S. products in the Southern Hemisphere, McKinney said.

To Panama, the U.S. exports about $670 million in agricultural products. It is the No. 28 market for agricultural exports but is fast-growing and dependent on U.S. ag imports for that growth. In both countries, McKinney said he was told by owners of grocery stores how respected U.S. products are, in terms of safety, consistency of supply and the volume of supply.

“It’s remarkable how they’re attracted to that known, reputable quality, U.S. products. And we can’t forget that,” he said. “Everyone knows we have quality products.”

He credits two longstanding efforts for the success of the USDA overseas, Market Access Program (MAP) and Foreign Market Development Program (FMDP). The programs share costs with U.S. agricultural organizations. In Colombia, many U.S. ag imports use the same branding – Sabor – which allows all U.S. commodities to benefit from marketing campaigns regardless of which product is featured.

McKinney said the effort is a great use of collaborative dollars and the stores have Sabor products well-marked.

When asked, he said he doesn’t know what will happen with the MAP and FMDP funding in the farm bill budget, but Congressional legislators have always verbally supported both programs. The cost-sharing aspect of the programs help the government dollars stretch further, and the programs work.

“We’re seeing the benefits of these programs,” he explained.

Issues of concern were addressed. In Colombia, McKinney said he focused on ethanol – the standards for importing ethanol into Colombia are strict. In return, he answered questions about increasing trade into the United States.

He said he reassured members of both governments that the U.S. is open to imports as long as they meet U.S. guidelines. U.S. government agencies such as the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service can help answer questions about regulations.

McKinney hosted the press teleconference from a screwworm lab in Panama. So far, the screwworm has been contained south of Panama, but a year ago, there was an outbreak in the Florida Keys. Because scientists knew how to respond, they reacted quickly and contained the outbreak, saving billions of dollars in cattle that were threatened by the pest.

“We remind them that free trade isn’t always easy, but it’s worth it in the long-term,” McKinney said. “Free trade is a win for both sides.”