POULTRYINDONESIA, Jakarta – Agricultural trade cooperation between Indonesia and the United States has strengthened following the visit of the US Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs (USDA), Luke J. Lindberg, to Jakarta on Wednesday (Feb 4, 2026). Beyond the trade agenda, the Indonesian government emphasized the importance of maintaining the sustainability of the national livestock subsector.
The Director General of Livestock and Animal Health (Dirjen PKH), Agung Suganda, stated that opening market access and strengthening international partnerships must be balanced with the protection of small-scale farmers and local producers. According to him, international cooperation should not be solely oriented toward increasing trade volume.
“Small-scale farmers are the foundation of the national food system. Therefore, every trade partnership needs to be evaluated to ensure it does not weaken the domestic livestock business structure,” said Agung.
The USDA official’s visit involved dozens of American exporters and agribusiness players. The meeting focused on deepening agricultural trade dialogue, including follow-up negotiations on the Indonesia–United States reciprocal trade agreement. However, for the Directorate General of PKH, technical issues remain the primary concern.
Agung assessed that cooperation with the USDA opens strategic opportunities to strengthen animal health and biosecurity. These two aspects are considered crucial for increasing the competitiveness of national livestock products amid global trade dynamics and rising international standards.
“Strengthening biosecurity, technology transfer, innovation, and human resource capacity building are key. Technical cooperation must be able to drive downstream processing and increase the added value of livestock products,” he explained.
On the other hand, the USDA-led trade mission aims to expand market access and increase US agricultural exports to Indonesia. The mission involves 41 agribusiness companies, trade organizations, and representatives from three US state departments of agriculture.
Luke described Indonesia as a strategic market with high demand growth, particularly for high-quality agricultural products. He expressed hope that the reciprocal trade agreement between the two countries could be translated into tangible transactions.
For Indonesia, this agreement is not just about trade, but also momentum to strengthen long-term partnerships in the livestock sector. The government maintains that the cooperation built must contribute to food security, the sustainability of farmers’ businesses, and the overall strengthening of the national livestock industry.
