The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA/FAS), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA/APHIS) and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) will jointly organize Western Hemisphere Strategy Meetings and initiatives to support the implementation of the International Standards Setting Bodies (ISSBs) in Latin America and the Caribbean. These meetings and activities will focus on issues relating to standards established under the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)and the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC). The objective is to build consensus for international science-based standards supported by the United States that ensure continued or increased market access for U.S. agricultural exports.

To improve capacity among Government Officials from Latin America and the Caribbean to increase the understanding and adoption of international standards.