The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service under the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has opened a new office in Hanoi to boost the mutual trade of agricultural products between the two markets, the department said in a statement on its website on Thursday.

The office will maintain technical working relationships with their Vietnamese counterparts to resolve any concerns associated with the science-based standards both countries employ to prevent the introduction of animal and plant pests and diseases.

By doing so quickly and locally, it can help keep trade moving and benefit the producers and economies of both countries.

The office will play a vital role in helping to expand the U.S.’s $2.5 billion-dollar agricultural export market in Vietnam, according to the statement.

Rising agricultural trade between the U.S. and Vietnam means new opportunities for American producers but the increase in trade also means increased pest and disease risk, said Greg Ibach, USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs. Read more…