24-7PressRelease/ - FRANKFORT, KY, March 08, 2008 — Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer and Jos Manuel Alavez, president of the Mexican Association for Equine Development and Promotion, will sign a Memorandum of Understanding to establish an equine partnership in a ceremony on Monday at 1 p.m. EDT at the Keeneland Library in Lexington, KY.

Commissioner Farmer, Alavez and Nick Nicholson, president and chief executive officer of Keeneland Race Course, will deliver comments prior to the signing. The signing ceremony will be hosted by the Kentucky Department of Agriculture in conjunction with the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development, International Trade Division.

In the public-private partnership, the equine industries in Kentucky and Mexico will share experiences, resources, technologies and specialized goods and services. In addition, a series of commercial and technical exchanges will take place to foster a long-term relationship between both equine industries.

Kentucky exports to Mexico totaled approximately $1.4 billion in 2007, making Mexico the Commonwealth's third-largest trading partner behind Canada and France, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. Of that total, approximately $31 million was in agriculture-related products. Kentucky producers exported 5,346 horses around the world in 2007, 21 percent more than in 2006, the state veterinarian's office reported.

Live animal exports from the United States to Mexico totaled approximately $91 million in 2007, of which 25 percent consisted of horses, jacks and hinnies.

For more information contact:
Bill Clary
(502) 564-4696