42 Nebraska Cattleman September 2023 Shaping Cattle Solutions. Providing beef producers with the tools needed in today’s livestock production system is what we do. Huvepharma® offers a large portfolio of feed additives, vaccines, nutritional supplements, and veterinary products paired with superior customer service and technical support. www.huvepharma.us customerservice@huvepharma.us 1-877-994-4883 Inside Track By Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen Cultivating Partnerships Across the Globe As I reflect on my recent trade mission to Vietnam, I am encouraged by the potential for further collaboration and trade with that country. I was joined by a delegation of more than 20 participants, including government, business and educational representatives for the week-long visit in July. The focus of the trip was threefold: agriculture, manufacturing and increasing educational partnerships. Vietnam is a fast-developing country, with a growing middle class. Vietnam has nearly 100 million people and the median age is 32. It desires to make the leap from a developing country to a developed one. The nation is looking for willing partners to help accomplish this goal. In the movement to becoming a key player internationally, Vietnam must focus on building its infrastructure, creating more educational opportunities, workforce development and loosening its current state-influenced economy. With those objectives in mind, the Vietnamese people are eager and optimistic about their future. A personal highlight during the trip was meeting Prime Minster Pham Minh Chinh. We talked about the value of our current partnership and, as we continue to move forward, the importance of collaborating on areas of mutual interest and exchange. Prime Minister Chinh highlighted the need for academic training and student exchange programs with the United States to keep up with the rapid digital transformation happening in his country. Nebraska has a lot to offer in that realm, including recruitment of Vietnamese students to Nebraska for advanced education in our state colleges and university system. During the trade mission, we also focused on opportunities available through agriculture, including supporting Vietnam’s growing population and helping farmers there to feed their own livestock. Nebraska products are highly sought because of their consumer safety and quality. The biggest barrier for our beef exports are tariffs. Currently, there is an 18 to 23 percent tariff on all U.S. beef imports, while other countries like Australia can export its beef products with little or no tariffs due to free trade agreements with Vietnam. This has put U.S. agricultural exports at a disadvantage in Vietnam, Japan and other countries. Trade agreements are an issue that need to be better addressed, not only for the benefit of our state but others as well. Even with the impact of high tariffs on pricing, demand for Nebraska beef is considerable among high-income families in Vietnam. In Vietnam, if you can afford Nebraska beef, it is the preferred choice. The marbling quality of our Nebraska corn-finished beef is unmatched, and we outcompete imported grass-fed beef every time. In addition to identifying potential new markets for CONTINUED ON PAGE 44 From left to right, Nebraska Department of Agriculture Director Sherry Vinton, Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen and New Viet Dairy owner Didier Lachize.
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