U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins concluded her trade delegation visit to Rome, Italy. Secretary Rollins reinforced the Trump Administration’s expectations for improved agricultural market access to our ally Italy and encouraged opportunities to expand the reach of the American agricultural industry across the European Union.
A few key highlights from the trade delegation include:
Secretary Rollins held a bilateral meeting with her Italian counterpart, Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty, and Forests Francesco Lollobrigida alongside the Charge d’affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Rome, Marta Youth. During the bilateral meeting, Secretary Rollins promoted the legacy of strategic partnership between the U.S. and Italy to ensure greater market access for American agricultural producers in the EU and discussed the opportunities that President Trump’s America First agricultural trade agenda provides for U.S.-Italy relations. Following the meeting, Minister Lollobrigida provided the Secretary a guided tour of the National Historical Library of Agriculture where the two leaders discussed Italy’s rich and shared history with the U.S.
Secretary Rollins attended a dinner hosted by Minister Lollobrigida. As the guest of honor, Secretary Rollins met with more than 50 key Italian officials, leading agri-food industry stakeholders, and prominent representatives from farmers’ associations including meat, wine, dairy, and feed to discuss current successes and future opportunities for U.S.-Italy agricultural trade. Meeting with these agricultural industry leaders was a priority for Secretary Rollins to ensure that the United States achieves increased access and sales to the $80+ billion Italian agricultural market, of which United States agricultural products currently only account for $1.7 billion. Prior to the dinner, Secretary Rollins also met with board members from the National Italian American Foundation to discuss the shared history of the United States and Italy.
“This trade delegation to Italy has been essential to ensure we are putting U.S. Farmers First on the world stage and expanding market access for the bounty of American Agriculture. It was a privilege to represent American farmers and ranchers in discussions with Italy’s Minister of Agriculture Francesco Lollobrigida and other key agricultural stakeholders,” said Secretary Rollins. “Our farmers and ranchers produce the safest, highest quality food in the world, and I look forward to giving consumers in Italy and across the EU more of a taste of the agricultural exports America has to offer.”
“Dialogue with the United States represents a strategic pillar of Italy’s foreign agricultural policy,” said Minister Lollobrigida. “Today, more than ever, there is a stronger awareness of the historic moment we are living through—one that compels us to strengthen our countries’ economies, which are rooted in shared values. Those who want to replace the United States as a partner are wrong. There is good will on our part and theirs to find a solution that will enable the European and U.S. economies to grow.”
In addition to meeting with members of the Italian government and agricultural industry, Secretary Rollins met with key agricultural leaders at the United Nations. During her meeting with Director General of the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization Qu Dongyu, Secretary Rollins reiterated the FAO’s Codex Alimentarius and International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) must be a priority among member nations and remain science, data, and evidence driven in order to facilitate agricultural trade. She also met with Executive Director of the World Food Programme Cindy McCain to discuss the importance of America First priorities and strategize on the utilization of more U.S. grown agricultural commodities in the World Food Programme. In both meetings, the Secretary reiterated that programs that U.S. taxpayers help fund – including at the United Nations – should be in America’s national interest and should purchase their fair share of American commodities.
Secretary Rollins met with Italy’s Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty, and Forests Francesco Lollobrigida to discuss the legacy of strategic partnership between the U.S. and Italy to ensure greater market access for American agricultural producers in the EU and discussed the opportunities that President Trump’s America First agricultural trade agenda provides for U.S.-Italy relations.
Secretary Rollins attended a guided tour of the National Historical Library of Agriculture by Minister Lollobrigida where the two leaders discussed Italy’s rich and shared history with the U.S.
Secretary Rollins attended a dinner hosted by Minister Lollobrigida to discuss current successes and future opportunities for U.S.-Italy agricultural trade.
Secretary Rollins met with Director General of the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization Qu Dongyu to reiterate the FAO’s Codex Alimentarius and International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) must be a priority among member nations and remain science, data, and evidence driven in order to facilitate agricultural trade.
Secretary Rollins met with Executive Director of the World Food Programme Cindy McCain to discuss the importance of America First priorities and strategize on the utilization of more U.S. grown agricultural commodities in the World Food Programme.
