March 9, 2015
USDA, agri firms on trade mission to Southeast Asia
A large US Department of Agriculture-led trade mission to Southeast Asiabegan Monday, March 9, with Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, as its first stop.
Leaders from six state agriculture departments and 21 USagribusinesses and organisations are accompanying Agriculture Undersecretary Michael Scuse on a five-day mission to expand export opportunities for US food and agricultural products in one of the world''s fastest-growing markets.
"US agricultural exports to Southeast Asia have been on the rise thanks to strong economic growth and increasing demand for high-value products in the region," said Scuse, who leads USDA''s Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services mission area. "With this growth expected to continue, the region holds significant untapped market potential for U.S. exporters."
"I am especially pleased to be traveling with a broad cross-section of US agricultural interests who represent every region of the country and will help me showcase the quality, variety and abundance of farm and food products produced for export by the United States," Scuse added.
Scuse noted that the majority of participating companies are small- or medium-sized enterprises and many are owned by women, minorities and veterans.
While in Kuala Lumpur, the delegation will also meet with potential customers from Burma (Myanmar) and Thailand.
The trade mission will also travel to the Philippine capital Manila.
Malaysia, the Philippines, Burma and Thailand boast a combined population of 262 million. As members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or Asean, these countries, the USDA said, are already strong trading partners of the United States. It said US exports of food and agricultural products to the four countries have doubled over the past five years, from $2.7 billion in fiscal year 2009 to $5.4 billion in 2014.
Mission participants include representatives from the Idaho, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, Texas and Virginia departments of agriculture, as well as the following companies and organizations:
• Bridgepathway LLC—Jericho, New York
• Case New Holland—New Holland, Pennsylvania
• Consolidated Grain and Barge Co.—Princeton, Illinois
• Crown Nut Co.—Tracy, California
• Garuda International, Inc.—Exeter, Calififornia
• GEMCO—New York, New York
• The Ginger People—Marina, California
• Global Strategy Group/Greenfield Mills—Sunrise, Florida
• Gray & Company—Portland, Oregon
• James Farrell & Co.—Seattle, Washington
• JM Grain—Garrison, North Dakota
• Kizable Kandy, LLC—Clearwater, Florida
• Nebraska Farm Bureau—Lincoln, Nebraska
• Platinum Trading—Alexandria, Virginia
• Richmond Wholesale Meats/American Custom—Richmond, California
• Robinson Fresh—Miramar, Florida
• Sun Grape Marketing—Visalia, California
• United Global Trading—Dallas, Texas
• US International Foods—St. Louis, Missouri
• USA Rice Federation—Arlington, Virginia
• Quirch Foods—Medley, Florida
The next USDA trade mission will take place June 1 to June 5, 2015, to Panama and the Dominican Republic.