Earlier this month, the U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council (USGBC) joined the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) delegation for its Trade Reciprocity for U.S. Manufacturers and Producers mission to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with the goal of expanding U.S. export opportunities for feed grains, biofuels and other agricultural goods.
USGBC Vice Chairman Jay Reiners, USGBC President and CEO Ryan LeGrand and USGBC Regional Director for Southeast Asia and Oceania (SEA&O) Caleb Wurth joined USDA Under Secretary Luke Lindberg for the program.
“It’s been great to see how the Council and USDA showcase their strong alignment in our goals to develop international markets for U.S. feed grains and co-products,” Reiners said.
“With recent trade deals removing legacy tariff barriers in Malaysia and other countries in the region, it is the perfect time for the U.S. agricultural industry to unlock new partners and grow export volume to new heights.”
After a briefing from U.S. embassy staff updating attending cooperators on the latest developments in the Malaysian market, the group met with the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) to discuss potential points of growth for U.S. trade with the country.
Lindberg and the Council’s team also held a meeting with Petronas, a major state-owned oil and gas company, to explore additional applications for U.S. ethanol in Malaysia.
“Malaysia has the ability to be a fulcrum for regional biofuel trade and a hub for blending on-road, bunker and aviation fuel,” Wurth said.
“Thank you to Under Secretary Lindberg for his recognition of the opportunity U.S. ethanol producers have in gaining a significant partner in Malaysia and how it can be a launch pad for additional growth in neighboring markets.”
You can learn more about the Council’s programming in Malaysia on the Council’s website.