Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins is aiming to travel to six international markets in her first six months in office, the Agriculture Department said Friday.
The visits to Vietnam, Japan, India, Peru, Brazil and the United Kingdom are part of the administration's push to uphold U.S. trade deals and expand markets for U.S. ag exports, USDA said.
“At a time when the agricultural trade deficit is at nearly $50 billion,” a statement reads, USDA “is working to diversify global markets, strengthen existing markets, and hold existing trading partners accountable for their end of the deal.”
The U.S. has an existing free trade agreement with Peru and the Trump administration has said it will hold talks with India and the UK over possible trade deals.
In a series of posts on X Friday, Rollins said President Donald Trump has “given the order” to “fix” the growing U.S. ag trade deficit:
“The work starts now: for fair trade for American farmers, restoring our surpluses and revitalizing American agriculture. That’s why I’m going to hit the road, visiting six countries in six months to hold our current trade partners accountable and to secure new ones. Our American farmers deserve it. The American people deserve it. The President demands results — on their behalf.”
USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service has a trade mission to Peru slated for June. USDA did not immediately respond to a question from Agri-Pulse on whether Rollins’ visit to the country would be part of this trade mission.
FAS also has a Hong Kong trade mission set for May and a mission in the Dominican Republic scheduled for July. USDA’s statement said the department is also planning missions for Taiwan, Côte d’Ivoire, and Mexico.
USDA projected in February that the U.S. agricultural trade deficit for fiscal 2025 would widen to $49 billion. The department raised its estimate for exports by $500 million to $170.5 billion but increased its forecast for imports by $4 billion to $219.5 billion.
Economists say the ag trade deficit is due to several factors, including the strong dollar, increased imports of fruits, vegetables and other products, and depressed prices for commodities such as corn and soybeans that dominate U.S. ag exports.
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