It’s one thing to read about it, but it’s another thing to travel across the ocean and experience it for yourself. That’s why Jackie Ponder, an Indiana farmer who raises pigs, corn and soybeans, decided to join the Indiana Soybean Alliance and Indiana Corn Marketing Council’s trade mission to Vietnam in September which focused on the benefits of U.S. pork and high oleic soybean cooking oil.
“I think it’s important for producers to be involved in these trade missions,” Ponder says. “There’s no doubt we hear a lot of great presentations from the National Pork Producers Council and National Pork Board about international markets. But it’s another thing to go over and see what the competition is like. How is our pork being presented? How important is pork to this country?”
Understanding how important pork is to Vietnam and to their diets opened her eyes to the value her investments have on export opportunities. Ponder, a member of the NPPC Strategic Investment Program (SIP) and Long-Range Strategic Planning Committee, is interested in helping legislators and producers understand key pork issues.
“We all know the dollars and cents benefit of exports – it’s a big chunk of the money we get per pig,” Ponder says. “I know the National Pork Board has been doing a really good job and working very hard on increasing domestic consumer demand. But there’s only so many people in the U.S. and even if we increase consumption, we’re not going to match what we could get with increased exports. I see investment not just in the National Pork Board, but also in the National Pork Producers Council critically important for me as a producer because it matters how much I can sell my pigs for.”
While in Vietnam on a USDA trade mission, the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) brought together representatives from the National Pork Board as well as the Indiana Soybean Alliance and Corn Marketing Council delegation to continue building relationships in the Vietnamese market.
Over the past several years, Vietnam’s domestic pork industry has been hampered by outbreaks of African swine fever, which have created new opportunities for imported pork demand.
“This is a great case where it’s important to be present, to be brand ambassadors for U.S. pork and our other commodities,” says Courtney Knupp, National Pork Board vice president of international market development. “It was one of the largest trade missions for the USDA. We’re talking all commodities, which shows a full court press of U.S. agriculture, the interest in the region and in Vietnam, especially a country where we have such historical ties, which has led to relationship building for decades.”
Why Vietnam?
Vietnam is a growing country with a growing middle class, explains Al Wulfekuhle, an Iowa pig farmer and president of the National Pork Board. Both the change in culture and modernization of the country are important factors to consider now, he adds.
“We’re in this for the long game, but there are some major hurdles to increasing short-term demand because of the culture shift,” he says.
They met with Vietnam’s chief veterinarian officer who shared that in the peak of African swine fever, they lost 6 million pigs in 2019 and the number to date in 2024 is 64,000 pigs.
“Between biosecurity and the vaccine working very well, their production is coming roaring back,” Wulfekuhle says. “Their reliability in exports isn’t as much as it was even a year or two ago. But I believe the U.S. needs to be in Vietnam, building trust and developing long-term relationships. I think there’s a huge opportunity for long-term demand.”
Knupp says there are many opportunities for value-added and premium product placement in Vietnam. For example, the U.S. is successfully exporting pork spareribs. They are also seeing some really unique partnerships in food service with Korean barbecue using U.S. pork hearts.
“It’s a great way to continue to maximize our carcass. We want to make sure we’re selling every part of the pig at the highest value every day,” Knupp says.
As an Indiana soybean grower, Chris Eck says Vietnam is an important country to be in now. He says most of the soybeans produced in Indiana are run through livestock so when exports increase, the demand for Indiana soybeans and corn increases. That’s why their state has stepped up to the plate to help promote pork in Vietnam through their Porkstars USA showcase, now in its third year.
Porkstars USA brought together three well-known chefs in Vietnam with three young social media influencers who each have close to a million or more followers. The teams included the Northern Team with influencer Vu Gia Bao and chef Le Xuan Tam. The Central Team included influencer Phan Ngan Ha and chef Dinh Son Truc. The Southern Team was made up of influencer Ong Chu Nguoi Bong and chef Cam Thien Lon.
“The younger generation in Vietnam is very focused on healthy eating and these influencers represented that segment,” Ponder says. “The cooking pairs were given U.S. pork spareribs and asked to come up with an appetizer and a main dish in a live cooking competition.”
Ponder, Eck, Knupp and Wulfekuhle served as four of the judges in the showcase.
“They just outdid themselves, showing how versatile pork is,” Ponder adds. “They did things I had not seen done before in the U.S. It was delicious, but the presentation was just over the top. Plus, they talked to the camera the whole time. And, of course, we can’t forget the dancing pig mascot. It was a ton of fun.”
The influencers will then take the video shot during the showcase and use it on a regular basis in the future to promote cooking with U.S. pork and high oleic soybean oil.
Eck, an Indiana Soybean Alliance board member, grows high oleic soybeans on his operation in Boggstown, Ind.
“In Indiana, we produce a significant amount of the high oleic soybean oil,” Eck says. “Everything in Porkstars is cooked in that and people can see the value of not only U.S. pork, but also the cooking oils that we provide.”
Indiana farmers are the leaders in growing high oleic soybeans, planting nearly 850,000 acres in 2023. Farmers receive a premium for growing high oleic soybeans. Increased demand for high oleic soybean oil benefits those growers and consumers.
Why the U.S.?
USMEF is doing great work to promote U.S. red meat in key export countries. But the reality is they can’t do their job as well without farmer input and support. The farmer’s voice matters most and this younger generation in Vietnam sees U.S. pork as the “end-all, be-all,” Ponder adds.
“They know U.S. pork is nutritious, it’s reliable, and they are cooking with it. Each one of those social media influencers share and make recipes online, and they teach others about the importance of being healthy and cooking with reliable meat,” she says.
What is reliable meat? Ponder says it’s when you can rely on taste and quality.
“That’s not always something you can rely on from our partners in other countries. We have a reputation for being high quality good protein, whole nutrition that you don’t get on a consistent basis from our competition,” she says.
The biggest hurdle for U.S. pork in Vietnam remains tariffs. Not having a free trade agreement with Vietnam poses severe challenges.
“I know NPPC does a great job getting into the markets and talking with in-country representatives, but we really need the support of the government behind us,” Ponder says. “While we can work to bring down non-trade barriers, it’s hard without the support of our representatives to bring down the tariffs. We’re always going to have to be better, and we are. And while I know U.S. pork is better than the competition, sometimes money matters.”
That’s why the investments into building these export markets helps, Wulfekuhle says.
At Indiana Soybean Alliance and Indiana Corn Marketing Council, market development is a big part of their strategic plan, Eck says. They work with partners to accelerate demand for Indiana soybeans and corn in all forms through those exports.
“Our yields have gotten high enough that exports are vital. When you have competition like Brazil, who has seemingly unlimited acreage, making these relationships overseas is absolutely crucial,” Eck says. “The senior director of market development for ISA and ICMC says, ‘It’s that face-to-face meeting that makes the difference. You may lose on price here, you may win on price there, but it’s building relationships face-to-face that enables you to win the ties when the price is the same between the U.S. and another competitor.’ That face-to-face means we win the ties; we sell the beans.”
Why You?
And at the end of the day, farmers want to know where their investment dollars go. That’s why Eck makes it a point to help bridge the gap between U.S. farmers and international market opportunities.
“It’s exactly like any other job you hire for or invest in. If you hire the co-op or another company to spray your crop, you don’t just assume that it was done right, walk away and never go look at it,” Eck says. “You go look at the product. You see what kind of job they did, and make sure that, yes, this is what we’ve invested in, and we are getting our money’s worth.”
Showing up matters, Eck says. When you don’t show up live, you can’t really understand how it’s going.
“You can get feedback from collaborators and consultants, but you don’t see exactly what is happening,” Eck says. “When you show up, or send board members or employees to look, you can find out exactly what’s happening and be part of figuring out what improvements need made.”
For Wulfekuhle, it’s about shaking hands, smiling and truly connecting with other people who want some of the same things you do – to be able to safely and affordably feed their families.
By the end of the mission, he hopes people realize that U.S. farmers are good people and good business partners.
Ponder says there’s nothing like producers coming back and telling other producers face to face about their experiences.
“People want to see people – boots on the ground – and know their money is being well spent. Farmers are well known for being very conservative when it comes to fiscal decisions. They don’t want to spend money on things that are frivolous,” Ponder says. “I can attest to the fact that our money, given all that I’ve seen, is well spent.”
Watch the Porkstars livestream here.
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