U.S. Reaches Ag Deals with Three Nations
Published: Friday, June 20, 2025
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins on Monday announced American agricultural producers will have greater market access to Thailand and Vietnam and maintained access to Brazil.
U.S. dairy producers will have maintained access to Brazil markets, citrus and apple growers will be able to sell more products to Thailand, and stone fruit growers will face lower non-tariff trade barriers in Vietnam as a result of the action taken by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Expanded access to Brazil Thailand and Vietnam will result in millions in added trade for the U.S., Rollins said. "As we continue to bring America into a new golden age of prosperity, the best is yet to come for our farmers and ranchers."
On June 9, Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAPA) officially lifted its suspension of U.S. dairy company, Agropur, from exporting whey protein concentrate powder to Brazil. On May 22, MAPA suspended one U.S. plant from exporting the product to Brazil due to lab results showing protein levels below 80%. After quick action by Foreign Agricultural Service and Agricultural Marketing Service to address the irregularities, MAPA agreed to lift the suspension less than three weeks after it was imposed.
Last year, the U.S. exported $83 million of whey protein concentrate powder to Brazil.
On June 4, Thailand's Department of Agriculture approved the re-opening of market access for U.S. apples from the eastern states of Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania and Viginia. Prior to this decision, only U.S. apples from California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington were approved to be exported to Thailand.
In February 2024, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service formally submitted a request with the required information to re-open the apple market for eastern U.S. states to Thailand.
The value of U.S. apple exports is approximately $20 million annually for western U.S. apples, and the estimated additional value of eastern U.S. apple exports to Thailand is expected to be approximately $5 million annually.
In addition to expanded market access for U.S. apple producers, on June 4, Thailand's DOA amended the import requirements for citrus fruits from Arizona. The amendment allows for the export of citrus produced in Arizona but packed and shipped from California. This comes as the result of requests from APHIS and is a major shift from previous requirements that required citrus from Arizona to also be packed in Arizona.
The estimated value of the citrus from Arizona to Thailand is expected to be approximately $385,000 annually.
On June 6, Vietnam's Plant Production and Protection Department (PPPD) approved exports of fresh peaches and nectarines from California to Vietnam using a recognized science-based approach. This is the result of negotiations by APHIS with PPPD, and it affirms that the systems approach used by American stone fruit producers is safe and effective.
The market value for California peaches and nectarines into Vietnam is approximately $2.5 million annually.
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