USDA is conducting an agribusiness trade mission in Santiago, Chile this week, bringing a host of food and agriculture industry leaders to the growing export market. 

Tuesday’s itinerary featured the Espacio trade show, which focuses on the hospitality and retail sector and gives American agricultural exporters the chance to promote their products in a target-rich environment.

The trip also comes as the U.S. and Chile are celebrating 200 years of diplomatic relations and the 20th anniversary of a free-trade agreement between the two countries. U.S. Ambassador to Chile Bernadette Meehan says agriculture is at the heart of the bilateral relationship.

And one of the most fundamental pillars of our commercial investment trade relationship is in the agricultural sector. This is an area where we have a strong foundation already but we’re looking to keep continuing to grow it here in this particular especially with food and service, we have 38 American companies represented 11 associations and four states represented. So I think that speaks to the strength of the relationship and the sense that there are many more opportunities for US agricultural products to find a market and expand here in Chile. we’re really excited about that.

USDA Trade Undersecretary Alexis Taylor is the leading the mission for the department, something Meehan says should go a long way in the country.

I think anytime you have a delegation at the undersecretary level, it sends a message It says that the United States is invested in this bilateral relationship so invested in fact that as we have to make decisions about what trade shows, to attend and send high level representation representation to around the region and around the world. Chile is one of the priorities for the United States and Undersecretary Taylor’s presence here speaks volumes and is noticed by all of the Chileans in this particular area.

Chile was a $1.1 billion market for U.S. agriculture in 2022.