News

USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA-FAS) has announced the participants in its upcoming agribusiness trade mission to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, November 9–12, 2026. Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Stephen Alexander Vaden will lead the delegation, which is the largest sent to Vietnam in USDA-FAS history. It includes 43 U.S. businesses, 37 agricultural trade and industry organizations, and representatives from the California, Kansas and Wisconsin State Departments of Agriculture. USLGE will be participating. The mission will connect American exporters directly with Vietnamese buyers, importers and distributors to expand sales opportunities in one of Asia’s most dynamic and growing markets. 

Vietnam was the 7th-largest export market for U.S. agricultural and related products in 2025, importing nearly $5.6 billion, and U.S. agricultural exports to Vietnam increased 38% from 2024 to 2025. During the mission, participants will take part in business-to-business meetings, market briefings, site visits and promotional events designed to introduce U.S. products to Vietnamese consumers and strengthen existing commercial relationships.

The Vietnam agribusiness trade mission builds on USDA's ongoing work to expand agricultural trade throughout Southeast Asia and follows an earlier Trade Reciprocity for U.S. Manufacturers and Producers Mission to Vietnam in March.

For information on this and other USDA agribusiness trade missions, visit www.fas.usda.gov/topics/trade-missions.

Source: USDA-FAS Newsroom, November 6, 2026

In September 2026, the Agricultural Trade Office in Monterrey, U.S. Livestock Genetics Export, U.S. Soybean Export Council, and U.S. Grains and BioProducts Council held their 3rd U.S. Beef Cattle Genetics & Nutrition Roadshow in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon. Mexico’s beef cattle industry, valued at around $10 billion annually, is key to northern Mexico’s economy and U.S.-Mexico trade. Focused on advancing livestock genetics and nutrition to boost herd productivity and beef quality, the event linked U.S. suppliers, Mexican producers, USDA cooperators, State Departments of Agriculture, and other stakeholders.

Source: USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, Global Agricultural Information Network Report MX2026-0053, October 26, 2026

On September 23, 2026, Namibia confirmed a foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in Karasburg (Kharas Region) — previously an FMD-free zone — with 10 of 11 samples positive and 63 cattle affected. The outbreak, south of the veterinary cordon fence, threatens native local herds and comes as neighboring South Africa also fights FMD. Namibia imposed a nationwide livestock trade/slaughter ban, and the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) revoked its FMD-free status for the southern zone, halting exports to China, South Africa, and the United States. The livestock sector (about 3.1% of GDP, N$8.8B/year) faces up to 12,000 lost job-years in 2026–27, though confirmed containment to Kharas allowed a partial lift of restrictions north of the cordon fence, while the southern zone stays locked down and international bans continue. Pork remains an exception — slaughter and trade stay suspended nationwide, causing shortages and price spikes.

Source: USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, Global Agricultural Information Network Report WA2026-0001, September 29, 2026

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins congratulated Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Luke Lindberg on his appointment as Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and welcomed President Trump’s nomination of Greg Ibach to serve as the next Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs (TFAA).

“Luke Lindberg has been a tremendous friend and partner in our mission to deliver for America’s farmers and ranchers. With his help, the Trump Administration had cut the agricultural trade deficit by 51%, helped deliver $177 billion in U.S. agricultural exports, expanded markets through 20 new trade agreements and frameworks, and secured billions of dollars in new agricultural purchase commitments around the world.

I am thrilled President Trump has nominated Greg Ibach to serve as our next Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs. Greg is a lifelong producer and proven leader who knows American agriculture from the farm gate to the global marketplace.”

Source: USDA Press Releases, September 29, 2026

USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) today launched AgInsights, a new data dissemination tool that will serve as a key component of NASS’s ongoing modernization strategy. Designed to enhance currently used data products and services, the AgInsights application offers streamlined information dissemination, increased operational efficiency, and a more dynamic, interactive experience so producers have easier navigation and access to the latest agricultural data.

NASS recognizes that producers, whether large or small, established or emerging, need timely, actionable information to make informed decisions. AgInsights will bridge the digital divide, ensuring equitable access to critical data for all producers, including those who have historically faced barriers to information.

“AgInsights is an important step forward in how producers interact with agricultural statistics. By streamlining information delivery and integrating advanced technologies, we’re making it easier for producers to access, analyze, and apply the latest data to their operations,” said NASS Administrator Joseph L. Parsons.

NASS asked an initial group of agricultural data users to test the application and provide feedback. Their recommendations informed the development of the product to help meet industry expectations across commodity sectors. Key features include:

• Interactive and Comprehensive Data Views: AgInsights integrates tabular data, charts, and maps into a single web-based interface, providing a comprehensive and interactive way to explore data, which was previously spread across different formats. Users can access comprehensive tabular data views similar to traditional PDF reports, but with added interactivity, making it easier to analyze and compare data.
• Modernization and Future-Proofing: The new tool is built using modern technologies, aligning with other NASS applications and ensuring long-term support and updates.
• Improved User Experience: AgInsights focuses on effective, efficient, and user-friendly intuitive interaction, with enhanced visualizations that helps users interpret and digest data more easily. It also offers interactive features that allow users to sort, filter, and explore data dynamically, enhancing the overall user experience.
• Producer-Centric Features: The tool offers intuitive sorting, filtering, and interactive visualizations, making complex data easy to interpret and apply to real-world challenges. Producers can also access analytics tailored to their operation type, supporting more informed decision-making. It is also optimized for mobile devices.
• Reduced Maintenance Complexity: Designed to be as automated as possible, this modern product is designed to deliver visualizations and data with minimal ongoing support, providing the opportunity to sunset old applications that were cost prohibitive and unsupported while reducing the labor-intensive efforts required for each report.
• Support for Power Users and General Users: AgInsights leverages NASS’s Quick Stats database, which is already popular among many users, while also providing a graphical user interface for those who prefer a more visual approach. It includes enhanced visualizations such as choropleth maps and time series charts, which update interactively with each report, helping users to better interpret and understand the data.

Information about all NASS surveys and reports is available online at nass.usda.gov.

Source: USDA Press Releases, September 16, 2026

USDA has outlined several program opportunities to strengthen commercial engagement, bolster food security, and expand market access in Venezuela. These efforts leverage USDA’s full range of trade promotion, capacity-building, and food assistance tools to support U.S. exporters and strengthen regional resilience as Venezuela continues to recover from recent earthquakes.

Some of the USDA-FAS support opportunities include: 

Market Promotion and Export Assistance 

• Working with approved U.S. agricultural cooperators to leverage Market Access Program and Foreign Market Development Program funds for exploratory market research, trade seminars, and consumer promotion activities within Venezuela. 
• Exploring the possibility of including Venezuela as a destination for an upcoming regional agribusiness trade mission, which would connect U.S. exporters directly with regional buyers. 
• Providing updated tools and resources for U.S. exporters. 

Credit and Export Financing 

• Promoting sales of U.S. farm products to Venezuelan importers through the GSM-102 Export Credit Guarantee Program, which guarantees payment to U.S. exporters and removes risk by providing an alternative credit option for Venezuelan purchases.   

Capacity Building and Fellowships 

• Hosting Venezuelan scientists and researchers through the Borlaug International Agricultural Science and Technology Fellowship Program to exchange knowledge and support agricultural innovation. 
• Providing short-term technical training for Venezuelan agricultural professionals via the Cochran Fellowship Program to strengthen local regulatory frameworks and expand opportunities for safe, high-quality U.S. agricultural exports. 

Take Advantage of Emerging Market Opportunities 

To access the complete toolkit of USDA resources, check your company's eligibility for the GSM-102 program, and stay up to date as USDA-FAS evaluates regional agribusiness trade mission potential for early 2027, visit the FAS website at www.fas.usda.gov. 

Source: USDA-FAS Newsroom, September 10, 2026