USDA outlines 2026 agribusiness trade missions targeting growth markets

The US Department of Agriculture will host six agribusiness trade missions in 2026, targeting key import markets in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Turkey and Oceania as Washington seeks to expand overseas demand for US agricultural products.

The missions, announced on December 23, will take place in Indonesia, the Philippines, Turkey, Australia and New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, and Vietnam. USDA program is designed to connect US exporters with foreign buyers and regulators while addressing tariff and non-tariff barriers affecting agricultural trade.

The destinations underscore US priorities in markets with rising food demand, growing middle-class consumption and strategic importance to global supply chains. For multinational agribusinesses, the missions offer early signals on where regulatory engagement and commercial activity may intensify, particularly in animal protein, dairy, specialty crops and value-added foods.

Indonesia will host the first mission in February 2026. USDA said recent trade understandings could lead Jakarta to eliminate tariffs on more than 99% of US products, potentially expanding access to the world’s fourth-most-populous country, where imports of grains, feed ingredients and animal protein have been rising alongside domestic consumption.

A mission to the Philippines is scheduled for April. USDA cited recent tariff changes allowing US agricultural products to enter the market duty free, a development that could reshape sourcing patterns in Southeast Asia and increase competition for exporters from Australia and South America.

In May, USDA plans to lead a delegation to Istanbul, focusing on tariff and regulatory barriers, including restrictions on US animal protein. Turkey’s role as a regional trading and transshipment hub could broaden the mission’s reach to buyers from the Caucasus and neighboring markets.

Australia and New Zealand will follow in late summer. The mission will build on expanded access for US beef exports and duty-free treatment under the US-Australia Free Trade Agreement, placing US suppliers in more direct competition with established regional exporters.

A September mission to Saudi Arabia will target technical and regulatory issues affecting US exports to the Gulf. Saudi Arabia is the largest economy in the Gulf Cooperation Council, which together imports more than $3 billion in US agricultural products annually, according to USDA.

The final mission of the year is planned for Vietnam in November. USDA described Vietnam as one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing economies and pointed to improved access for certain US products, including specialty dairy, meats, peaches and nectarines.

While the trade missions are aimed at supporting US exporters, they are closely watched by global traders and processors. Expanded US access to large import markets can influence pricing, market share and competitive positioning for suppliers from Brazil, the European Union and the Asia-Pacific region.

More information on USDA agribusiness trade missions is available on the Foreign Agricultural Service website.