Perdue Announces Northwest Wheat Can Be Sold In Kenya

Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue had good news for Northwest wheat farmers Tuesday.  Effective immediately, U.S. wheat can now be shipped to Kenya regardless of the state of origin or which port of export it comes from.  This important step means that Washington, Idaho and Oregon, can now join the list of states that can ship wheat to Kenya.

“America’s farmers in the Pacific Northwest now have full access to the Kenyan wheat market,” says Greg Ibach, USDA Undersecretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs. “This action proves our commitment to securing fair treatment and greater access for U.S. products in the global marketplace.”

The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has been working closely with Kenya for 12 years to address plant health concerns that kept U.S. wheat exports from the Northwest, out of Kenya.  The export protocol signed off on by Kenya’s Plant Health Inspectorate Service and APHIS gives U.S. exporters full access to the wheat market in Kenya, valued at nearly $500 million annually.

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