Under Secretary Shares Outcomes From Malaysian Trade Mission

USDA Trade Mission to Malaysia Opens New Opportunities for U.S. Agriculture

USDA Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Luke Lindberg recently returned from a trade mission to Malaysia, joined by representatives from agricultural organizations and U.S. agribusinesses. The visit focused on expanding market access and exploring new opportunities under President Donald Trump’s newly signed agreement with Malaysia.

Speaking after returning to the United States, Lindberg highlighted the momentum generated during the trip. “I just landed back in the U.S. after a few days in Malaysia with 16 different ag businesses out there getting some deals done under President Trump’s new agreement with Malaysia. We have really a unique opportunity at this moment in time.” The delegation included companies representing a wide range of agricultural sectors, underscoring the broad potential of the Malaysian market.

One of the key discussions centered on which commodities may ultimately benefit most from the agreement. According to Lindberg, those answers are still developing. “We talked a lot about what commodities we would see prioritized in this Malaysia agreement that the President signed. And I think we don’t know all the answers yet.” With “16 different groups with us representing all kinds of different industries across the board,” the trip demonstrated widespread interest across American agriculture.

What stands out most, Lindberg said, is a fundamental shift in how trade issues are addressed. “The biggest thing about this Malaysia agreement that excites me is that we, as part of the negotiation, Malaysia agreed to recognize that the U.S. food system is safe.” This recognition marks a departure from previous negotiations that focused on commodity-specific standards rather than the overall integrity of the U.S. food system.

“What this really does is it removes a lot of the trade irritants and trade barriers that existed in Malaysia before this,” Lindberg explained. By reducing regulatory friction, the agreement creates a more level playing field for American producers and exporters.

While it may take time to see exactly how the market responds, early signs are encouraging. “We saw tariffs come down. We’ve seen trade barriers come down,” Lindberg said. He emphasized a consistent trend when barriers are lowered: “When American agriculture producers can compete on a fair level playing field, we usually win.”

Looking ahead, Lindberg expects growing interest from commodity groups across the U.S. “I think we’re going to see a lot of interest in this market from a number of different commodity groups with exciting prospects on the horizon.” The Malaysia trade mission represents a promising step forward in expanding U.S. agricultural exports and strengthening global trade relationships.

Audio Reporting by Dale Sandlin for Southeast AgNet.