News

USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) is accepting applications for a trade mission to Guatemala City, Guatemala, March 3-7, 2025. This will be the 2nd USDA-FAS agribusiness trade mission in 2025.

"We are excited to return to Guatemala after our successful 2018 mission," said FAS Administrator Daniel Whitley. "This trade mission offers an ideal platform to deepen trade ties in the region."

Guatemala is the largest economy and population center in Central America, and projections suggest continued economic growth. In 2023, Guatemala imported $1.7 billion in U.S. agricultural products, and it became the top market in the region. Honduras and El Salvador imported $1.3 billion and $800 million, respectively. Under the Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement, all remaining tariffs will phase out by 2025 and further strengthen the position of U.S. products in the region.

The trade mission will provide participants with the opportunity to meet directly with buyers from Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador through tailored business-to-business meetings. FAS staff and regional experts will also lead market briefings, site visits, and networking events.

The deadline to apply for the Guatemala trade mission is Tuesday, December 3, 2024. For more information or to apply, visit fas.usda.gov/topics/trade-missions/guatemala-march-2025.

Source: USDA-FAS Newsroom, News Release (Nov. 20, 2024)

Representatives from nearly 50 U.S. agribusinesses and trade groups, including USLGE, and 14 State Departments of Agriculture will travel to Casablanca, Morocco, December 2–5, 2024, as part of a USDA trade mission to expand U.S. farm and food exports to Morocco and other West African markets.

“This mission offers a crucial opportunity for U.S. agribusinesses to enter into Morocco dynamic market and leverage its strategic position for wider African access,"rdquo; said Foreign Agricultural Service Administrator Daniel Whitley, who will lead the mission. “We are dedicated to facilitating these vital connections and expanding U.S. agricultural exports.” 

Morocco is the 2nd-largest export market for U.S. agriculture in Africa. U.S. sales of farm and food products to the country topped $619 million last year, representing 16% of the continent&srquo;s market share. American agricultural exports to Morocco have doubled since the U.S.-Morocco Free Trade Agreement entered into force in 2006.

Morocco offers a stable market and growing economy and serves as a key distribution hub for the African continent. U.S. exporters have opportunities in numerous sectors, including beef, dairy, feed grains, live animals and genetics, rice, seafood, seed potatoes, soybeans, and tree nuts.

Throughout the mission, U.S. company representatives will engage in business-to-business meetings with potential buyers from Morocco and other West African countries including Côte d'Ivoire, The Gambia, and Senegal.

For more information, visit fas.usda.gov/topics/trade-missions/morocco-december-2024.

Source: USDA-FAS Newsroom, News Release (Nov. 18, 2024)

Türkiye is the 2nd largest cattle importing country after the United States, with imports valued at $1.6 billion in 2023 despite strict health and technical requirements. As of May 15, 2024, the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MinAF) enacted an unjustified trade embargo on U.S. cattle following the detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) in some dairy herds in the United States. In addition, several European Union countries have seen sales of their dairy cows restricted over the past several months because of the spread of bluetongue disease, including Germany, Austria, and Hungary. This month, MinAF has released additional restrictions for live cattle imports.

Source: USDA-FAS Global Agricultural Information Network (Report No. TU2024-0056)

The Great American Barbeque Festival showcased the vibrant flavors of American barbeque while strengthening agricultural ties between the United States and Vietnam. The festival took place at the Melia Hanoi Hotel and kicked off with a cooking demonstration by Nebraska State Department of Agriculture Deputy Director Hilary Maricle. The festival also featured remarks by U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper and USDA Under Secretary Alexis M. Taylor. Under Secretary Taylor stated that “Vietnam is a leading market and creates many new opportunities for U.S. agricultural and food products. Throughout 2023, bilateral trade between the 2 countries reached $8.3 billion in the agricultural and food sectors alone.” The festival overlapped with the USDA Agricultural Trade Mission to Vietnam, which Under Secretary Taylor also led from September 9–13.

Source: USDA-FAS Newsroom, Features (Oct. 29, 2024)

Welcome back to “Export Impact.” In this post, we further explore the impactful work of USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service. Building on the positive feedback from our inaugural post, we are excited to dive deeper into agricultural exports. As USDA’s Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs, my mission remains focused on ensuring U.S. farmers and agribusinesses have every opportunity to succeed globally. Through strategic engagement, targeted trade missions, and ongoing collaboration with State and Federal partners, we are expanding the reach of American agriculture while driving growth for our rural communities. I am also pleased to share updates from 2 noteworthy events: the U.S. Trade Mission to Colombia and the Kansas Governor’s Summit on Agricultural Growth. 

Enhancing U.S. Agricultural Exports to Colombia
I recently had the pleasure of leading a trade mission to Bogotá, Colombia, with 23 U.S. agribusinesses and organizations. 
My interactions with officials from the Mississippi, Wisconsin, and Texas Departments of Agriculture underscored the crucial role State-level partnerships play in promoting U.S. exports. These stakeholders were instrumental in connecting U.S. agribusinesses with Colombian buyers, opening doors for future trade deals.

Addressing Global Challenges and Promoting Diversity in Agriculture
Shortly after my return from Colombia, I had the honor of speaking at the Kansas Governor’s Summit on Agricultural Growth. My remarks focused on 2 key areas: diversifying U.S. agricultural exports and expanding market opportunities for specialty crops and underrepresented producers. One highlight of the summit was the focus on USDA’s Regional Agricultural Promotion Program (RAPP), which is investing $1.2 billion to promote U.S. agricultural products in existing and emerging markets.

The Power of Trade to Drive Innovation
A clear theme resonated at both the Colombia Trade Mission and the Kansas Governor’s Summit on Agricultural Growth: the power of trade to drive innovation and create opportunities. Trade is not only about selling products; it is about building relationships, fostering collaboration, and encouraging the exchange of innovative ideas and technologies. Whether it is developing more sustainable farming practices or finding new markets for emerging products, trade opens doors that lead to long-term growth. Through ongoing partnerships with foreign governments, international organizations, and U.S. State and Federal agencies, USDA is working tirelessly to break down trade barriers and create new opportunities for American farmers. We aim to maintain U.S. agriculture's global leadership by not only promoting our traditional commodities but also fostering innovation and new product development.

I am grateful for the partnerships and insights gained from the Colombia Trade Mission and the Kansas Governor’s Summit on Agricultural Growth. Together, we will continue to champion American agriculture on the global stage, ensuring that U.S. farmers, ranchers, and agribusinesses remain at the forefront of international trade.

Alexis M. Taylor
USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs

Source: USDA-FAS Newsroom, Features (Oct. 29, 2024)

Porcine semen is now eligible to be exported to South Africa from the United States. This opens a growing market where U.S. exporters can now compete with genetics from Netherlands, Denmark, Canada, and Ireland. The pig breeds that are currently found in South Africa include Landrace, Large white, Chester white, Duroc, Hampshire, Large black, Kolbroek, and Pietran. In 2023, South Africa imported $166,000 in porcine semen.

The full report can be viewed here.

Source: USDA-FAS GAIN Report (Oct. 22, 2024)