Gia Lai showcases development potential of livestock production to the USDA

On November 18, the Gia Lai Provincial People's Committee had a working session with the delegation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the State of Idaho, and representatives of the State's leading enterprises in Ia Puch commune.

The USDA delegation included Mr. Benjamin Henderson, Agricultural Attaché of the USDA in Vietnam; Mr. Scott Bedke, Lieutenant Governor of Idaho; and Ms. Chanel Tewalt, Director of the Idaho State Department of Agriculture (ISDA). Welcoming and working with the delegation were Mr. Pham Anh Tuan, Chairman of the Gia Lai Provincial People's Committee, and Mr. Tran Ba Duong, Chairman of THACO Group, along with leaders of Gia Lai's departments and sectors.

The USDA's delegation worked at the Ia Puch beef cattle farm of Truong Hai Agriculture Joint Stock Company (THACO AGRI). Speaking at the working session, Mr. Pham Anh Tuan, Chairman of the Gia Lai Provincial People’s Committee, said that Gia Lai boasts the second-largest natural area in Viet Nam and possesses diverse natural conditions, vast land resources, and a fresh climate suitable for developing high-tech agriculture, particularly large-scale livestock farming and crop production, and forest-based economic activities. In recent years, Gia Lai has identified agriculture as a pillar of the economy and an essential foundation in its sustainable development strategy.

Mr. Tuan noted that Idaho is one of the states with abundant water resources and a central agricultural hub of the U.S. The state is particularly renowned for beef and dairy cattle production, food processing, agricultural nutrition, and the manufacturing of farming supplies. The similarities of agricultural strengths between Gia Lai and Idaho offer opportunities for deep, effective, and sustainable cooperation between the two.

"The beef cattle farm project in Ia Puch commune, Gia Lai province, has a scale of 155 hectares, a designed capacity of 25,000 heads, and an annual rotational raising capacity of 100,000 heads. The project is one of THACO AGRI's large-scale, modern livestock production projects in the Central Highlands. With a total investment of more than VND 1.162 trillion, the project not only generates direct economic value from commercial beef cattle production but also creates positive spillover effects in terms of social benefits, environmental impact, and sustainable local development," Mr. Pham Anh Tuan said.

According to Mr. Tuan, the Ia Puch Beef Cattle Farm Project has had positive, comprehensive impacts on local people's livelihoods. The project has created stable employment for hundreds of workers, including technical staff, livestock workers, security personnel, logistics teams, and infrastructure operators, thereby helping increase incomes and improve living standards for communities in Gia Lai’s border areas. At the same time, the project has expanded opportunities for cooperation with surrounding communities through production and product consumption linkages.

Mr. Tuan emphasized that today's working session at the Ia Puch Beef Cattle Farm Project is an important occasion for the State of Idaho’s managers and businesses to learn about Gia Lai and THACO AGRI’s large-scale agricultural production model while enabling Gia Lai province to access advanced livestock development experience from the U.S. The two sides discussed cooperation opportunities in cattle breed production, livestock farming techniques, nutrition, veterinary medicine, meat processing, and agricultural mechanization and digital transformation.

Mr. Tuan expressed Gia Lai province's warm welcome and strong support for Idaho enterprises seeking to invest, transfer technology, provide technical assistance, and conduct workforce training in Gia Lai, particularly in collaboration with THACO AGRI and local agricultural businesses.

Mr. Tuan also affirmed that Gia Lai province is committed to creating the most favorable conditions for investment procedures, land, infrastructure, and the business environment; accompanying investors throughout project development and implementation; and ensuring security, safety, and a stable production environment for enterprises.

"I believe today's working session will mark a promising beginning, creating a foundation for strategic cooperation between Gia Lai province, the State of Idaho, U.S. enterprises, and THACO AGRI in cattle farming in particular and the agricultural sector in general," Mr. Pham Anh Tuan emphasized.

Truong Hai Agriculture Joint Stock Company (THACO AGRI), established in 2019, is a member corporation of THACO, operating in the agricultural production and business sector. THACO AGRI implements a strategy of producing integrated/circular agriculture based on organic principles with large-scale and industrial characteristics on an area of 84,000 hectares across three countries: Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.