Ag at the embassy

When I think of the United States Embassy, my mind conjures images of U.S. ambassadors entertaining dignitaries from their host country. While that may happen, much more goes on behind those doors.

I had a chance to go behind the doors of the United States Embassy in Chile during a trip with American Farm Bureau. The trip was part of the Partners in Advocacy Leadership program I’ve been a part of for the past two years.

During our visit, we met with representatives from several divisions in the embassy. Lisa Foss grew up on a Minnesota farm and now works with the U.S. Commercial Service to promote the exports of agriculture products from the states to Chile. Her focus is on products like tractors, fertilizer, and other inputs or equipment. She also advocates for U.S. companies bidding on projects in Chile.

The agricultural attache, Bret Tate, gave us a picture of the market in Chile. Consumers there have increased their demand for U.S. animal proteins and the products that feed them. Chile imports U.S. beef, which has a higher perceived value over the country’s neighbors. Overall, imports from the U.S. to Chile increased over the previous year.

Most of our group are farmers and were curious how a farmer from the states who wanted to market their product in Chile would make that happen. The Foreign Ag Service would help link the farmer to a buyer. They would also need an importer to handle the paperwork.  

I was surprised to learn USDA has offices in 120 countries around the world. Those offices look at global supply deficits in agricultural crops and policies affecting U.S. exports overseas. They also promote American agriculture products within those countries. There are other steps depending on what agricultural product you want to sell, including learning about the Latin market.

Agriculture is a global market and this insight into the services available to help American famers break into those markets was eye opening. I had no idea that agriculture had its own version of ambassadors whose role is to represent and assist farmers from the states. It’s a career I didn’t know existed and would give someone who wants to see the world an opportunity to do that while helping farmers.