33 ref.

Two signifcant agreements were forged at the 1994 Summit of the Americas. In the broader one, the presidents of nearly all Western Hemispheric nations agreed to begin efforts to construct a Free Trade Areas of the Americas FTAA, by the year 2005, with comprehensive trade and investment elements. In the more focused agreement, the NAFTA partners (the U.S. Canada, and Mexico) agreed to invite Chile to negotiate its entry. Both agreements imply the opening of U.S. borders to additional trade, a prospect not welcomed by many U.S. horticultural producers. Indeed U.S. trade with Mexico in fruits and vegetables has followed a somewhat bumpy road since NAFTA's implementation, leading in some cases to official disputes. (MV)