ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA, US — The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Vietnam Feed Association (VFA) and Animal Husbandry Association of Vietnam (AHAV) to strengthen Vietnam’s feed and animal production industries. The signing ceremony in Hanoi, Vietnam, highlighted the trilateral commitment to foster growth, innovation and sustainability in these sectors within Vietnam, the groups said.

The MOU formally establishes a strategic partnership and framework for cooperation between the organizations through leveraging shared knowledge and expertise to support Vietnam’s goals for sustainable development in the feed and animal production industries.

“After years of working to bring awareness to the Vietnamese animal production and feed industries, veterinarians and regulators of the variety of products US feed ingredient manufacturers can offer to maximize feed efficiency and improve animal health and production, this MOU represents our future commitment to fostering growth, innovation and sustainability in the country,” said Gina Tumbarello, senior director of global strategies, policy and trade at the AFIA. “Together, we can build a more resilient and sustainable feed and animal production industry that meets today’s consumer needs and paves the way for future growth.”

The AFIA said its work in Vietnam has been supported by the US Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service Market Access Program funds, which have been instrumental in facilitating efforts to educate the Vietnamese feed and animal production industries on the value of US feed ingredients and best practices for sustainable growth.

The collaboration is designed to help modernize Vietnam’s feed industry, which accounts for 65% to 70% of the cost of livestock products, by promoting best practices and reinforcing consumer confidence in the safety and quality of Vietnamese feed and animal products.

“There has never been a more critical time for the role of industry associations in Vietnam’s livestock and feed industry than now,” said Nguyen Xuan Duong, AHAV chair, during the ceremony. “This partnership will enable us to face challenges such as disease outbreaks, market fluctuations and environmental pressures while also driving sustainable growth.”