USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Luke Lindberg continued his work to expand markets for U.S. exports this week, leading a trade mission to Guatemala and El Salvador. The trade mission to Central America included 15 USDA cooperator organizations representing a broad sector of U.S. agricultural producers.
Stephanie Bryant-Erdmann, U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) Assistant Regional Director, and USW Vice President of Policy and Communications Dalton Henry joined the Under Secretary on the trip and helped facilitate discussions with key flour milling customers.
The trip was timed to coincide with the recently signed Agreements on Reciprocal Trade (ART) – designed to expand trade relations between the countries and the U.S. In celebrating those agreements and highlighting the purpose of the trip, Lindberg said, “Our goal here is to turn that new market access into market share for U.S. agriculture.”
Guatemala and El Salvador are both significant U.S. wheat customers in Central America, with long-term market shares of nearly 60% in Guatemala and nearly 70% in El Salvador.
The trade mission also provided an opportunity to discuss the challenges facing U.S. exporters and Guatemalan importers, with a core focus on infrastructure and the limiting impact that outdated ports can have on imported products. Both countries are solely dependent on imports to meet their wheat consumption needs, and as they continue to grow, those infrastructure gaps will continue to be a major challenge.
The same infrastructure challenges are also a focus in the bilateral relationship, with several Guatemalan customers anxiously awaiting outcomes from a previously announced partnership between their government and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on port and other infrastructure upgrades.
“One of the things we really appreciate about these missions is the opportunity for our customers to speak directly to USDA leadership about challenges on the ground and their desire to be solid trading partners for the U.S,” Bryant-Erdmann said.
Having the Under Secretary emphasize the importance of U.S. trade agreements with key U.S. wheat markets during in-person visits also strengthens ties between the U.S. and Central America, where millers truly value and appreciate their relationships with U.S. wheat farmers, USDA, and USW.
