Southern Border Conference: A Key Meeting for Foreign Trade in South Texas

With nearly 140 attendees, the Mid Valley Customs Brokers Association hosted the Southern Border Conference, a meeting that addressed the main challenges of foreign trade, ranging from tariff changes to the upcoming review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

Jorge Torres, Vice President of the association, highlighted that the response from the customs brokers community and related companies has been “excellent” and emphasized the importance of these types of conferences to stay up to date in a dynamic and challenging environment.

“The goal is to stay informed about what is happening with tariffs, regulations, and customs, so we can work more efficiently in our companies and support our clients,” he said.

The event primarily brought together U.S. customs brokers, but also included participation from service providers, lawyers, systems and bond companies, as well as authorities, including CBP personnel and representatives from the Pharr International Bridge.

Among the central topics were U.S. foreign trade policies, the imposition of tariffs, and the USMCA review process.

Regarding relations with authorities and border crossings, Torres stressed that it is essential to ensure efficient trade flows: “Communication between infrastructure, authorities, and customs brokers is key to facilitating trade.”

The Southern Border Conference brings together specialists and providers from the import and export industry, consolidating itself as a key meeting for customs brokers.