AFIA's Global Outreach: Strengthening Agricultural Trade and Policy by Collaborating with Vietnamese Trading Partners

Written by: Ivy Torres   |   February 14, 2024

Vietnam

For over a decade, the American Feed Industry Association’s (AFIA) global affairs team has diligently addressed policy, market access and market development issues to expand on and reach overseas markets that are vital for our members and the agricultural industry. Since 2019, the AFIA has been a Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) cooperator, granting the association access to funds to work on behalf of our members (at no extra cost to them), including fostering relationships in target markets with trade associations, government, buyers and end users. Much of this work is done through educational opportunities, and I am excited to share of a recent opportunity with a small delegation from Vietnam.  

With the assistance of FAS’s Market Access Program (MAP) funding, the AFIA brought a delegation to the 2024 International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE) in Atlanta, Ga., and to Washington, D.C., in January. The delegation consisted of a government official and heads of feed and livestock associations.  

As you may recall from our previous posts on Vietnam, the Vietnamese government has restricted the preventative use of antibiotics and is looking toward a naturopathic approach by boosting their domestic biosecurity standards and using high-quality feed to improve the overall health of animals. There has also been a focus on sustainable agricultural development as part of Vietnam’s strategy to mitigate the effects of climate change.  

The delegation traveled to view firsthand how the U.S. industry has already been taking steps toward sustainability and how the industry and government collaborate to ensure that guidelines implemented are realistic and move the country closer to its own sustainability targets. The delegation was excited to see the sheer variety of solutions available on sustainable and holistic production for a market like theirs.  

When the AFIA team met with the delegation members at our in-person workshops, they heard only from a sampling of companies developing innovative, sustainable solutions.

This trip allowed the Vietnamese delegation to familiarize themselves with not only the products available in the United States, but also the regulations and guidelines that make the use of these products possible.  

The AFIA is hopeful that this continued collaboration will create space for easy registration and export of products to Vietnam in the near future. 

Their week at IPPE began by attending the 17th International Feed Regulators Meeting (IFRM), where the delegation joined in discussions on regulatory and international standards, antimicrobial resistance, convergence of requirements for the feed sector and more. IFRM, hosted by the International Feed Industry Federation (IFIF) and the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO), convenes feed industry representatives and government officials to address critical issues facing the feed sector.  

In addition, the delegation joined the “Feed Your ESG: How Feed Will Help Hit Sustainability Targets” educational workshop at IPPE. There, they learned about successful implementations of environmental, social and governance (ESG) programs by feed manufacturers, what the driving force behind sustainability reporting is, the importance of life-cycle assessments and changes to target from them, as well as how the industry can manage expectations while working toward impactful change. The delegation referred to several of the points gleaned from the workshop during presentations at later meetings.  

Vietnam is actively developing strategies to mitigate the effects of climate change, while also establishing guidelines to support their own quickly developing livestock and poultry industries. Workshops like this one help provide effective and scie

nce-based solutions for companies, highlighting to government officials the reality of what is possible for companies in terms of sustainability. 

As the delegation wrapped up their days at IPPE, they got a chance to walk the show floor and engage in one-on-one time with several AFIA members. These meetings were important for the delegation as they saw firsthand the variety of products provided by our membership as well as could initiate new relationships with potential U.S. feed ingredient suppliers. 

As IPPE concluded its final day, the Vietnamese delegation headed to the nation’s capital for meetings with the U.S. Codex Office and the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Veterinary Medicine. At the Codex office, the delegation spoke to Ken Lowery, senior international issues analyst, on the need for increased and improved collaboration between the U.S. and Vietnamese offices. The discussion highlighted how bringing feed and livestock experts from Vietnam to Codex meetings can ensure that decisions are being made based on science instead of consumer preferences. The FDA spoke to the delegation about how the government regulates animal food ingredients. This connection proved to be extremely beneficial as Vietnam is currently reviewing their own feed implementation and enforcement regulations.  

After hearing how the U.S. animal food industry operates, they saw the practical side on a visit to Kent Nutrition’s facility in Maryland. During the tour, the delegation experienced firsthand the manufacturing

process, from sampling at arrival to formulation to packaging. In this case, they got to see the formulation and packaging of llama feed! At the plant, they also learned about the industry’s Safe Feed/Safe Food (SFSF) certification program, a brand-new concept for the delegation, which left them considering how they could develop their own voluntary, third-party certification program for their domestic feed industry. 

This was AFIA’s first delegation to the United States, and with the knowledge shared in this one week, we will be able to better collaborate with the Vietnamese feed and animal husbandry associations and government to enhance Vietnamese practices and expand U.S. market access. We are excited about the future opportunities and to further introduce the Vietnamese to our membership and their products.