Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack moderated an Ag Outlook Forum featuring the U.S. trade ambassadors to Vietnam and the Philippines. Both countries have a very young population with a rising middle class. Ambassador Marc Knapper said Vietnam wants more high-value food products. “As Vietnam’s economy develops and as Vietnam’s middle class continues to grow, there is an increasing demand for protein.” Knapper said that could include livestock genetics, meat or dairy products.” Ambassador MaryKay Carlson said the Philippines is the number one export market for U.S. soybean meal and the number two market for U.S. wheat. “They have a taste for our products and our wheat really stands up to the caliber and the quality of the baked goods that Filipinos have grown to expect.”
