WASHINGTON, D.C. (RFD NEWS) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is continuing efforts to strengthen trade relationships around the globe, with a focus on expanding market access for U.S. farmers and ranchers. One of the latest efforts included a recent trade mission to Malaysia.
USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Luke Lindberg joined us on Wednesday’s Market Day Report after returning from a trip to recap the mission and discuss why Malaysia is an important market for U.S. agriculture.
In his interview with RFD NEWS, Lindberg noted that Malaysia ranks as the 26th-largest agricultural trading market for U.S. producers, making it a key destination as the USDA seeks to grow exports. He also explained that the USDA’s visit to Malaysia is part of a broader, three-point plan developed by Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins, White House Officials and the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office to ramp up U.S. agricultural exports.
Lindberg says discussions during the mission focused on a range of potential market opportunities for U.S. commodities, including agricultural products of interest to Malaysian buyers, and shared key takeaways from the meetings during the trip, and outlined the most significant moments from the mission. Lindberg highlighted that the trade mission included a delegation of agribusinesses and trade associations, allowing U.S. stakeholders to engage directly with international partners.
Looking ahead, Lindberg discussed next steps for advancing the trade relationship with Malaysia and emphasized that the effort is part of a larger USDA agenda. He also shared that the department is actively pursuing additional international markets as part of its trade priorities for the year ahead.
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