Co-operation with USA

During the beginning of the 1990s grain aid was received from the USA. Within the frames of the Cohran programme, officials and specialists were trained in different fields of the agricultural sector. A Cooperation Memorandum between the USA and the Baltic States was signed on 8 July 1998. The memorandum foresees cooperation in the following fields:

- scientific research and exchange of information between research institutions and organisations;
- information systems;
- exchange of scientists and specialists;
- developing the agri-industry and commercial activities;
- organising conferences, seminars;
- annual trade missions.

On 12 May 1999, a Letter of Implementation was signed between the Ministries of Agriculture of Estonia and the United States of America. The Letter of Implementation was signed in Estonia by Ivari Padar, the Ambassador to the USA Melissa Wells, Deputy Minister of the USA A.Schumacher and Ambassador to Estonia K. Stoicescu.

Several seminars have been organised in the framework of the Memorandum of Cooperation and the Letter of Implementation. In 2008, Estonia hosted a delegation from the state of Maryland for the purpose of a study visit.