Governor Dayton to sign five memorandums of understanding in Mexico City this morning
ST. PAUL, MN - This morning in Mexico City, Governor Mark Dayton will formalize five new collaborations between Minnesota and Mexico. During a signing ceremony at the Office of the Mexico Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Governor Dayton, Mexican officials, and members of Minnesota's trade delegation will sign five memorandums of understanding that will improve educational connections between Minnesota and Mexico, and support women in agriculture and business.
"Improving educational exchanges between Minnesota and Mexico will be crucial to continuing our mutual economic growth," said Governor Dayton. "These collaborations will strengthen those educational exchanges, and create more opportunities for women in both Minnesota and Mexico to succeed in agriculture and business."
"These memorandums of understanding will establish ongoing, long-term collaborations that will further strengthen our education connections and opportunities for women in agriculture and business," said Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) Commissioner Katie Clark Sieben.
Five Areas of Collaboration
The following five memorandums of understanding (MOUs) will be formalized at tomorrow morning's signing ceremony in Mexico City.
"Women in Agriculture and Business" MOU between the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and Mexico's Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA) - This MOU will promote the exchange of information and best practices; strengthen communication between the partners; foster opportunities for productivity improvements and market entry; and foster the involvement of women in organic and sustainable agriculture development and promote opportunities for commercial trade.
Two women on the trade mission delegation are deeply involved in agriculture and agriculture promotion. Lori Stevermer is a hog farm owner-operator and president of the Minnesota Pork Producers Association, and Suzanne Vold is a dairy farm owner-operator and secretary with the Midwest Dairy Association. Both Stevermer and Vold advocate for their industries in the U.S. and in foreign markets, and mentor other women in agribusiness.
Minneapolis is home to the Women in Agribusiness Summit, which brings women together from around the U.S. to focus on such industry issues and to provide opportunities for career development and networking.
Women play an important role in agriculture in Mexico, as well. The Women in Agriculture and Business MOU will work to strengthen and increase the ways Minnesota women and Mexican women work together to educate and support each other.
MOU between State of Minnesota and Mexico's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE), Ministry of Public Education (SEP) and the National Council on Science and Technology (CONACYT) - This MOU will promote education and training needed by business and industry and educational and research activities.
MOU between University of Minnesota and CONACYT - This MOU establishes a joint program called CONACYT - UMN, to grant postgraduate Master and PhD fellowships studies to Mexican students, with possible grants for Minnesota students in Mexico.
MOU between Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) and SEP - This MOU provides for an exchange of students, teachers and researchers; research activities, conferences and seminars; and teacher training.
MOU between St. Cloud State University and University of Hidalgo - This MOU establishes the foundation to carry out joint activities in research, teaching, academic collaboration and professional development.
The educational MOUs are based on "100,000 Strong in the Americas," President Barack Obama's initiative to increase international study in Latin America and the Caribbean. The purpose is to foster prosperity throughout the region through greater international exchange of students and providing study abroad opportunities to better prepare a globally aware and culturally competent workforce.
Study Minnesota, a nonprofit organization, coordinates efforts to recruit international students to Minnesota among its nearly three dozen educational institution members. Study Minnesota encourages Mexican students to pursue their education in Minnesota, and is represented on the trade mission by Anna Nolan, student ambassador.
More on the Minnesota Trade Office
The Department of Employment and Economic Development's Minnesota Trade Office (MTO) is focused on increasing state export sales in foreign markets and attracting foreign direct investment to Minnesota. The MTO promotes international trade by providing export information, export education and training, and one-on-one counseling to Minnesota companies that wish to sell manufactured goods and services in the international marketplace.
MTO representatives also promote the state's economic interests through four overseas offices: Shanghai, China; Dusseldorf, Germany; Seoul, South Korea; and Sao Paolo, Brazil.
