According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, during the working visit of Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc to the United States, Deputy Minister Hoang Trung met with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Under Secretary Jason Hafemeister to propose tariff exemptions for certain essential agricultural and aquatic products that do not compete directly with U.S. domestic production.
In addition to this meeting, the Vietnamese delegation also held discussions with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to promote two-way market access for agricultural products between Vietnam and the United States.
Strengthening U.S.–Vietnam Agricultural Cooperation
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At the meeting on April 9 (local time), Deputy Minister Hoang Trung reaffirmed that the USDA is a trusted and long-standing partner of Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, as well as of Vietnamese farmers.
He expressed Vietnam’s commitment to deepening cooperation, emphasizing mutual benefits for both nations, farmers, and businesses.
The Deputy Minister also highlighted Vietnam’s recent tariff adjustments under Decree No. 73/2025/NĐ-CP (issued on March 31, 2025), which reduced import duties on several U.S. goods — including wood products (from 15–25% to 0%), corn, and soybeans (from 2% to 0%) — to facilitate trade and create favorable conditions for American exporters.
Vietnam’s Proposal on U.S. Countervailing Tariffs
During the dialogue, both sides addressed the new U.S. countervailing duties, which could reach up to 46% on Vietnamese exports, potentially harming not only Vietnamese producers but also U.S. businesses and consumers.
Deputy Minister Hoang Trung emphasized that Vietnamese agricultural exports are of high quality and competitively priced, and urged the USDA to support Vietnam’s proposal for tariff exemptions on non-competing essential products such as seafood, cashew nuts, pepper, fruits, and coffee.
Positive U.S. Response and Next Steps
Deputy Under Secretary Jason Hafemeister praised Vietnam as a reliable and respected partner, endorsing the proposal and announcing that U.S. Secretary of Agriculture is expected to visit Vietnam in May 2025 to further discuss and expand agricultural cooperation between the two nations.
On forestry trade, both sides reaffirmed progress made under existing commitments between Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) concerning the control of illegal logging and timber trade.
Recently, Vietnam also enacted Decree No. 77/2025/NĐ-CP (April 1, 2025) on the management and disposal of state-owned assets, including confiscated timber — demonstrating Vietnam’s commitment to transparency and regulatory compliance.
Technical Collaboration and Sustainable Agriculture
The delegation also met with the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) to discuss technical cooperation on the “Right Fertilizer Use Project”, aimed at improving fertilizer efficiency, increasing farmer incomes, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in rice cultivation.
Additionally, the two sides reaffirmed their cooperation with APHIS to enhance market access for agricultural products in both directions — ensuring the steady growth of bilateral trade in the agricultural sector.