Shoppers at a South Korean discount chain store pick fresh U.S. cherries during a promotional event called “Cherry Day” on July 2. Since the U.S.-Korea free trade agreement (KORUS) went into effect in March, Korean retailers have seen sales of U.S. cherries rapidly increase, and in some cases, account for the top selling imported fruit. KORUS removed two thirds of the tariffs imposed on U.S. food and agricultural products exporting to South Korea.

It’s only been four months since the historic U.S.-Korea free trade agreement (KORUS) removed two thirds of the tariffs imposed on U.S. food and agricultural products exported to South Korea. But already, sales of U.S. fresh cherries are on the rise. The elimination of a 24-percent import duty on cherries – along with marketing support from the U.S. cherry industry and the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) in Seoul – is helping boost U.S. cherry sales in Korea to record levels. Read more »

As Agriculture Secretary Vilsack said today during a national media call, Congress must now take action on an important part of President Obama’s jobs agenda: new trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea and trade adjustment assistance to help train workers for the 21st century economy. When approved, these agreements will clear the way for new American exports around the world, help create jobs and provide new income opportunities for our nation’s agricultural producers, small businesses, and rural communities.

What these three agreements come down to is opportunity. For American agriculture, passage of these agreements means over $2.3 billion in additional exports, supporting nearly 20,000 jobs here at home. Read more »

The maintenance manager at Continental Grain & Barge (CGB) in Utica, Illinois explains how storage is done at their soybean facility.

Last week, six officials from China’s Ministry of Agriculture arrived in America’s heartland to begin an in-depth exploration of the workings of the U.S. soybean industry. Read more »

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack speaks at the National Export Initiative (NEI) “New Markets, New Jobs” tour in Milwaukee, Wis. on Aug. 3, 2011. The focus of the tour is to help small- and medium-sized businesses gain access to the resources they need to export their products internationally.

Earlier this year, the U.S. government kicked off the nationwide National Export Initiative “New Markets, New Jobs” tour designed to help connect small businesses with the resources they need to sell their products globally. Read more »

Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Todd Haymore discussed aquaculture with business developers outside of Shanghai, China. Haymore was a key member of a delegation from Virginia who recently embarked on a trade mission to Asia, which was supported by Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) employees assigned to the region.

Helping American farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses gain and maintain access to international markets is one of the most important roles of USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS). Read more »

USDA employees at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan Kathy Gunderman and Mike Ward tend to a lot in the People’s Garden, which was established on the embassy grounds earlier this year.

After a long workday, there is nothing Kathy Gunderman enjoys more than relaxing and tending to her garden, where brightly colored flowers and green, leafy lettuce is thriving under the hot summer sun. Read more »