USDA plans Manila trade mission

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will conduct a trade mission to the Philippines in April next year as part of the Trump administration’s ongoing drive to expand agricultural exports to the country.

- By DEXTER BARRO II

In a Dec. 23 statement, the USDA said it will hold six agribusiness trade missions in the coming year to expand and diversify global market opportunities for American agricultural commodities.

USDA Undersecretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs Luke Lindberg said boosting exports is critical to the success of the agricultural industry and the American economy as a whole.

As practice, Lindberg said the USDA’s marketing and trade experts pinpoint new and growing global markets each year that offer “topnotch prospects” for American exporters.

“This year, we are focusing those efforts on markets where President [Donald] Trump has put America’s farmers and ranchers on an even playing field across the globe,” he said.