USDA trade mission calendar

Jan 08, 2024

The USDA and industry reps will travel for seven trade missions in 2024

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

Representatives from the USDA and U.S. ag community will travel multiple times in 2024 for trade missions to help increase food and ag exports.

As of Jan. 8, seven trade missions are scheduled on the USDA’s website:

Between Feb. 26 and 29, USDA Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small will lead the first-ever U.S. agribusiness trade mission to Luanda, Angola.

In 2022, the U.S. exported $235.8 million of food and ag to Angola, making it the 7^th largest African market for U.S. exporters.

While in Angola, participants will also meet with reps from the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Congo.

After the trade mission in Africa, USDA and industry reps will travel to Asia for two missions.

The first, from March 25 to 29, will see U.S. ag represented in Seoul, South Korea.

Alexis Taylor, the USDA’s under secretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs, will lead the trade mission where participants will connect with importers, processors and distributors.

The next month, members of the U.S. ag industry will travel to New Delhi, India for a trade mission between April 22 and 25 including reps from Nepal and Sri Lanka.

Total U.S. agricultural and related product exports to India, Nepal and Sri Lanka exceeded $2.5 billion in 2022.

The deadline to apply to participate in this trade mission is Jan. 22.

In June, members of the U.S. ag sector will travel to Canada.

Between June 17 and 21, representatives will gather in Vancouver, B.C., to discuss potential opportunities for the U.S. ag industry, including Canada approving legislative recommendation of U.S biofuels.

The following month, a South American country will host the USDA and industry members.

Between July 29 and Aug. 3, USDA reps will travel to Colombia.

In 2022, the U.S. exported $3.7 billion of ag goods to Colombia, which corn accounting for nearly $1 billion.

In the fall of 2024, the USDA’s trade missions will return to Asia.

From Sept. 9 to 13, Vietnam will host the mission, where topics like the country opening its market for U.S. grapefruit exporters will be discussed.

Buyers from Thailand will also participate.

The final trade mission scheduled for 2024 is in Africa.

From Dec. 2 to 6, representatives from Morocco, Senegal and Francophone West Africa (countries like Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso), will host the American delegation.

Anyone looking for information on the trade missions can email the USDA.

Video: California Farm Bureau 2025 Farm Dog of the Year Contest Winner - Willy - CAFB 107th Annual Meeting

Meet Willy: California Farm Bureau’s 2025 Farm Dog of the Year!

We’re excited to introduce Willy, a miniature long-haired dachshund with a big heart and even bigger courage, and the Grand Prize winner of this year’s Farm Dog of the Year Contest!

Willy may be small, but he’s become an indispensable partner on owner Marshal Hagedorn’s forestry and cattle operations in Shasta, Tehama, and Siskiyou counties. Adopted in 2023, he quickly found his place on the ranch, helping manage critters, tagging along for long days in the woods, and offering unwavering companionship during demanding logging work.

Willy has even taken naturally to moving cattle, surprising calves (and more than a few full-grown cows!) with his burst of energy from the tall grass. As Marshal put it: “He goes with me everywhere every single day.”

Congratulations to Willy and his family, a perfect example of how every good farm dog, no matter the size, helps keep California agriculture running strong.