Viet Nam, U.S. agribusinesses strive for a balanced partnership

Marking bilateral trade cooperation

Tracing nearly a year of U.S. reciprocal tariffs that have put pressure on the export market for agricultural, forestry, and aquaculture products, Viet Nam has proactively sought solutions to expand two-way trade and balance the bilateral trade relationship.

In June 2025, a trade mission of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, together with agricultural associations and enterprises, visited the U.S. to enhance exchanges and sign high-value agricultural contracts. During the trip, 20 MoUs were signed with a total agricultural purchase value of up to 3 billion USD.

In just the first 6 months of implementation, Viet Nam imported about 1.2 billion USD worth of U.S. agricultural products. Total agricultural, forestry, and aquaculture imports from the U.S. into Viet Nam in 2025 reached 3.72 billion USD, up 27% compared to 2024. Some product categories recorded strong growth, including seafood (77.3%), fruits and vegetables (65.6%), wheat (72.6%), and raw timber (90%), demonstrating the effectiveness of bilateral cooperation and the Vietnamese market’s real demand for high-quality products.

In March 2025, leading a trade promotion delegation of 10 U.S. enterprises to Viet Nam, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Luke J. Lindberg emphasized the goal of assessing the effectiveness of trade agreements and discussing ways to expand cooperation between the two ministries.

He noted at a meeting with MAE on March 25: "Over the past year, we achieved record exports of certain agricultural products to Viet Nam, including corn, cotton, wheat, and tree nuts. These are tangible results".

He observed that despite some remaining tariff barriers, demand for U.S. agricultural products in Viet Nam remains strong, providing a solid foundation for bilateral cooperation.

30 years of U.S. soybean supply to Vietnamese farmers

According to Mr. Lindberg, the trade mission in Viet Nam helped the U.S. delegation understand the actual needs of enterprises and processors, while exploring opportunities to turn dialogues into tangible results.

Speaking to the VAN News, Jerry Bambauer, Chairman of the Ohio Soybean Council, said U.S. soybeans began exporting to Viet Nam in 1996. This year marks 30 years of cooperation, with Viet Nam now the fifth-largest export market for Ohio soybeans.

Welcoming the opportunity to sign cooperation agreements with the MAE, he pledged to work with Vietnamese businesses to provide quality products meeting international standards to consumers.

Factors contributing to soybean’s strong growth include high seed quality, stable protein content, sustainable production, and compliance with international standards to meet Viet Nam’s aquaculture sector demand. As Vice Chairman of the U.S. Soy Aquaculture Alliance, Mr. Bambauer intends to focus on expanding soybean production for aquafeed.

Ohio currently has four major soybean processing companies: Archer Daniels Midland, Bunge, Cargill, and Louis Dreyfus, processing over 1.6 million tons of soybeans annually. Many Ohio farmers allocate 4-12% of their annual production to non-GMO soybeans.

“Ohio has not had much import-export activity with Viet Nam, but the partnership is opening up many new opportunities. Beyond soybeans, we offer a variety of foods, fibers, and biomass fuels,” said Brian Baldridge, Director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture, highlighting opportunities to expand strategic cooperation.

Long-term bilateral programs

During the visit, the U.S. Deputy Secretary of Agriculture emphasized that both sides will maintain consultation and exchange channels to ensure transparency in trade processes, while working together to improve food safety regulations. The USDA has committed to implementing the “Food for Progress” program to help Viet Nam enhance its capacity for food management and quality control.

Agricultural Attaché Ralph Bean (U.S. Embassy in Viet Nam) noted that the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture has selected Viet Nam as one of the priority countries for the program. This is an important U.S. initiative aimed at supporting global food safety and providing market information.

At the end of 2026, Deputy Secretary Luke J. Lindberg expressed his pleasure that many U.S. enterprises will visit Viet Nam to work. This clearly demonstrates the sustainable cooperation between Viet Nam and the U.S. in agriculture expanding markets, improving product quality, and meeting the real needs of the bilateral agricultural sector.

Two major project components: on food safety (Agricultural Trade and Expanded Food Safety) and tilapia aquaculture will be implemented in Vietnam starting in 2026. The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has committed to the USDA to expedite and promote project approval as soon as possible.