In this Wednesday, June 26, 2019, photo, Russell Jones walks in his alfalfa field on his farm, in Nephi, Utah. The Joneses are fourth-generation farmers, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and among 81 applicants vying for one of a handful of coveted spots as state-licensed medical growers in conservative Utah. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is pushing farmers, ranchers and other Ag producers from across the country to look at international markets as another way to move their goods.

Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs, Ted McKinney

The USDA is sponsoring seven international agribusiness trade missions in 2020 to grow and diversify exports around the world for America’s farmers and ranchers, Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney announced recently.

“I cannot overstate the immense value trade missions provide to the U.S. agriculture industry and to our customers,” McKinney said. “Trade missions help agribusinesses – both large and small – get their foot in the door to new markets, build strong relationships with existing and potential customers, and expand their global footprint and sales of U.S. farm and food products.”

Some commodities listed on their website include; biofuels, dairy, fish, fruits/vegetables, livestock/meats oilseeds, eggs/poultry, processed foods and legumes. Also listed are grains, feed, tree nuts and seeds.

“I’ve had the pleasure of leading numerous trade missions at USDA and the results overwhelmingly speak for themselves. In 2019 alone, six USDA trade missions enabled more than 170 U.S. companies and organizations to engage in 3,200 one-on-one meetings with foreign buyers, generating more than $78 million in projected 12-month sales,” said McKinney.

Each year, the marketing and trade experts from USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) analyze and select a combination of new and growing markets that offer the best prospects for U.S. agricultural farm and food exports.

For 2020, FAS has planned a record seven missions, four of which are first-time destinations for USDA trade missions.

Donovan Miguel from Hilmar, CA hoses down one of his prize cows for Richmonds Black and White Days.

While final dates are subject to confirmation, scheduled 2020 trade missions include:

  • North Africa (Algeria, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia), March 16-19
  • Philippines, April 20-23
  • Spain and Portugal, June 8-11*
  • United Kingdom, September 14-17*
  • Australia and New Zealand, October 19-23*
  • Peru, November 2-5
  • United Arab Emirates, November 15-18*

*Denotes first-time destination

Stay current on USDA trade missions by visiting https://www.fas.usda.gov/topics/trade-missions. You can also subscribe to receive email updates by going to https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/usdafas/subscriber/new, entering your contact information, and under “Information by Topic” selecting “Trade Missions.”

 



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