USDA Accepting Applications for Spain and Portugal Trade Mission

Sep 08, 2022

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service is accepting applications from U.S. exporters for its first-ever agricultural trade mission to Madrid, Spain, on Nov. 29 – Dec. 2.

With multiple ports of entry, including Lisbon and Valencia, the Iberian Peninsula is a major gateway to Europe for U.S. agricultural products. Spanish companies cover the Iberian Peninsula as a single market and products are frequently imported into Spain and transported to Portugal. To help U.S. exporters reach both markets, buyers from Spain and Portugal will be available onsite in Madrid to meet with the delegation.

“Spain and Portugal are strong U.S. partners, with shared democratic values and great economic opportunities. Our team looks forward to introducing U.S. exporters to the many business opportunities that exist in these two countries,” said FAS Administrator Daniel Whitley. “Spanish and Portuguese importers, retailers, and consumers recognize and appreciate the quality, reliability, and sustainability of U.S. agricultural products.”

Thanks to strong distribution channels, both countries have the potential to increase imports of U.S. agricultural products including tree nuts, condiments and sauces, pulses, sunflower seeds, cat and dog food, and beer. Consumers in both countries are also increasingly interested in sustainably produced and packaged foods offered by U.S. exporters.

During the mission, participants will conduct business-to-business meetings with potential importers, receive in-depth market briefings, and participate in site visits and other networking opportunities.

Source : usda.gov

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.