California Ag Network

Tag: Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs

  • USDA’s McKinney Leads Mission to Tap Trade Opportunities in Vietnam

    When Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney leads a U.S. Department of Agriculture trade mission to Vietnam Oct. 15-18, he’ll be accompanied by nearly 80 industry and government representatives seeking to expand agricultural exports to one of the fastest-growing regions of the world.

    The mission will be based in Ho Chi Minh City, and will also include buyer delegations from Thailand and Burma (Myanmar).

    “The size of this trade mission delegation speaks to the phenomenal potential that exists for U.S. exporters in Vietnam and surrounding countries,” McKinney said. “Since the United States normalized relations with Vietnam in 1995, our agricultural exports have grown exponentially, reaching a record $4 billion last year. Sales of U.S. food and farm products to Thailand and Burma also set records in 2018, topping $2.1 billion and $126 million, respectively.”

    Joining McKinney are the heads of six state departments of agriculture: Benjamin Thomas of Montana, Jeff Witte of New Mexico, Doug Goehring of North Dakota, Kim Vanneman of South Dakota, Sid Miller of Texas and Doug Miyamoto of Wyoming. Officials from the Georgia, Maine, Minnesota, Tennessee, Virginia, Wisconsin and Washington departments of agriculture will participate as well.

    In addition, representatives from the following companies and organizations will attend:

    1. Agri Export International LLC, Columbia, S.C.
    2. All Berry and Fruits, Portland, Ore.
    3. Almond Board of California, Modesto, Calif.
    4. American Feed Industry Association, Arlington, Va.
    5. Appellations Cellar, Napa, Calif.
    6. Bard Valley Date Growers, Yuma, Ariz.
    7. Blue Diamond Growers, Sacramento, Calif.
    8. Bridgepathway LLC, Jericho, N.Y.
    9. California Blueberry Commission, Clovis, Calif.
    10. California Prune Growers Marketing Association, Yuba City, Calif.
    11. Clark Lumber Company, Red Boiling Springs, Tenn.
    12. Coconut King Miami Beach Inc., Miami Beach, Fla.
    13. Commercial Lynks Inc., Alexandria, Va.
    14. East West International Group, Inc, Moreland, Ohio
    15. Fidelis Forest Management, LLC, Baxter, Tenn.
    16. Food Export Association of the Midwest USA, Chicago, Ill.
    17. Food Export USA – Northeast, Philadelphia, Pa.
    18. Ginseng Board of Wisconsin, Marathon, Wis.
    19. Global Processing Inc., Kanawha, Iowa
    20. Graceland Fruit, Inc., Frankfort, Mich.
    21. Herr Foods Inc, Nottingham, Pa.
    22. Hess Brother’s Fruit Company, Lancaster, Pa.
    23. International Market Brands, Bellevue, Wash.
    24. International Nutrition, Omaha, Neb.
    25. Isa Beefmasters, San Angelo, Texas
    26. MEM Fairway Inc., Irvine, Calif.
    27. Nargo Industries USA Inc., San Ramon, Calif.
    28. Oregon Berry Packing, Inc., Hillsboro, Ore.
    29. Organic Valley, La Farge, Wis.
    30. Pacific Cheese, Co., Hayward, Calif.
    31. PacRim Wine & Spirits, San Rafael, Calif.
    32. Redwood Trading Group, Inc, Novato, Calif.
    33. Thompson Appalachian Hardwoods, Huntland, Tenn.
    34. U.S. Dairy Export Council, Arlington, Va.
    35. U.S. Grains Council, Washington, D.C.
    36. US International Foods LLC, St. Louis, Mo.
    37. U.S. Livestock Genetics Export, Inc., Mount Horeb, Wis.
    38. U.S. Soybean Export Council, Chesterfield, Mo.
    39. U.S. Wine Exports Company, Ltd., Ravenna, Ohio
    40. United Dairy Ingredients Group LLC, Montebello, Calif.
    41. United Natural Foods Inc., Tacoma, Wash.
    42. USA Foods, Oakland, Calif.
    43. Western United States Agricultural Trade Association, Vancouver, Wash.
    44. Wholesome Direct, Inc., Ridgefield, N.J.
    45. World Import/Export Trading Co., Belmont, Calif.

  • Under Secretary McKinney to Lead U.S. Exporters on Trade Mission to Colombia

    Colombia and Panama are among the fastest-growing markets in the Western Hemisphere for U.S. farm and food products. American exporters seeking to tap that potential will join Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney in Bogotá for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s largest-ever international trade mission June 4-7.

    “The record size of this trade mission delegation demonstrates the degree of U.S. exporter interest in these markets,” McKinney said. “I’m thrilled that representatives from 54 agribusiness and associations and six state departments of agriculture are on board and ready to connect with potential customers from both Colombia and Panama.”

    The United States entered into free trade agreements with both countries in 2012 and, since then, agricultural export growth has been robust.

    “Our food and farm exports to Colombia have nearly tripled, from $1.1 billion in 2012 to a record $2.9 billion in 2018. And while Panama’s a much smaller market, we’ve also seen our exports grow significantly, from $490 million in 2012 to $683 million last year,” McKinney said.

    In addition to representatives from the following companies and organizations, McKinney will be joined by Minnesota Commissioner of Agriculture Thom Petersen, Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Bettina Ring, and officials from the Georgia, Idaho, Missouri and Montana departments of agriculture.

    1. Agropur US, Appleton, Wis.
    2. Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, Juneau, Alaska
    3. Alltech, Nicholasville, Ky.
    4. American Paint Horse Association, Fort Worth, Texas
    5. American Peanut Council, Alexandria, Va.
    6. Blue Diamond Growers, Sacramento, Calif.
    7. Bridgepathway LLC, Jericho, N.Y.
    8. Clarkson Grain Company, Inc., Cerro Gordo, Ill.
    9. Columbus Vegetable Oils, Des Plaines, Ill.
    10. Cornerstone Chaldees LLC, Marion, Ky.
    11. Crider Foods, Stillmore, Ga.
    12. Crown Products, Inc. Metairie, La.
    13. Eastern Quality Foods, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
    14. F3 Vineyards Inc., Las Vegas, Nev.
    15. Federated Group, Arlington Heights, Ill.
    16. Fieldstone Meats of Alabama, Inc., Oneonta, Ala.
    17. Food Export Association of the Midwest USA, Chicago, Ill.
    18. Global Export Marketing Co. Ltd., New York, N.Y.
    19. JJ Martin Group LLC, Newark, N.J.
    20. JM Grain, Garrison, N.D.
    21. K&N’s Foods USA LLC, Fulton, N.Y.
    22. Leprino Foods, Denver, Colo.
    23. Metafoods, LLC, Atlanta, Ga.
    24. Mid Valley Nut Company, Hughson, Calif.
    25. Minnesota Beef Council, Maple Plain, Minn.
    26. Minnesota Corn Growers Association, Shakopee, Minn.
    27. Minnesota Farm Bureau, Eagan, Minn.
    28. Minnesota Farmers Union, St. Paul, Minn.
    29. Minnesota Pork Producers Association, Mankato, Minn.
    30. Minnesota Pork Board, Mankato, Minn.
    31. Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council, Mankato, Minn.
    32. Minnesota Soybean Growers Association, Mankato, Minn.
    33. Minnesota Turkey Research and Promotion Council, Buffalo, Minn.
    34. Mountain States Oilseeds LLC, American Falls, Idaho
    35. National Cotton Council of America, Cordova, Tenn.
    36. Riviana Foods Inc., Houston, Texas
    37. Rosina Food Products, Inc., Buffalo, N.Y.
    38. Sagamore Spirit, Baltimore, Md.
    39. Salsa God, LLC, New York, N.Y.
    40. Select Foods, Delray Beach, Fla.
    41. Shining Ocean, Inc., Sumner, Wash.
    42. TAMA Corporation, Doral, Fla.
    43. Tomex Foods, Inc., Lombard, Ill.
    44. University of Minnesota Extension, St. Paul, Minn.
    45. U.S. Dairy Export Council, Arlington, Va.
    46. U.S. Grains Council, Washington, D.C.
    47. U.S. Livestock Genetics Export, Inc., Mount Horeb, Wis.
    48. U.S. Soybean Export Council, Chesterfield, Mo.
    49. U.S. Wheat Associates, Arlington, Va.
    50. USA Rice Federation, Arlington, Va.
    51. Virginia Natural Beef Inc., Lexington, Va.
    52. Whistling Andy Distilling, Bigfork, Mont.
    53. Western United States Agricultural Trade Association, Vancouver, Wash.
    54. Zafi Beverages & Technologies, Bensenville, Ill.

    Learn more about this and other USDA trade missions by visiting https://www.fas.usda.gov/topics/trade-missions and following FAS on Twitter at @USDAForeignAg.