There are only a few things in life that can bring together and excite a global community, and food and sports are two of those things!
USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) is tapping into these uniting experiences by shining a spotlight on high-quality, safe, delicious, and sustainably produced U.S. foods during the 2022 FIFA World Cup, underway in Qatar. This groundbreaking effort, organized by FAS’s Office of Agricultural Affairs in Dubai and the U.S. Embassy in Qatar, is introducing nearly 130,000 visitors per day to the great variety and quality of U.S. foods at the USA Pavilion.
Located in the heart of Doha, in a fan zone featuring international pavilions, visitors to the USA Pavilion feel as though they’re being transported to the States through the sights, sounds, and smells of everything U.S. agriculture has to offer – including food/ag, education, and tourism.
“It’s our mission at the World Cup to introduce the world to our true MVPs, America’s farmers and ranchers who work every day to grow and produce safe, nutritious, sustainable, and delicious foods and ingredients to feed and nourish the world,” said USDA Agricultural Counselor Valerie Brown. “We’ve put together a dream team of U.S. food and commodity groups and celebrity chefs who are looking to score new fans as they kick things up with cooking demonstrations, competitions, and giveaways featuring U.S. ingredients – everything from healthy treats for athletes to decadent game day foods for fans and families. Whether visitors want to learn how to make nutritious snacks with U.S. fruits, nuts, and cheese, or something more indulgent like barbeque, gumbo, and ice cream desserts, the USA Pavilion will offer food lovers from around the world a field of options – all thanks to America’s farmers and ranchers.”
According to the latest trade data, U.S. food and agricultural exports to the world, and the Middle East in particular, increased last fiscal year (FY). In FY 2022, U.S. farmers and ranchers exported a record $196.4 billion of food and agricultural products to the world, of which $6.6 billion was exported to the Middle East, up 20 percent from the prior year. Consumer demand for U.S. foods and ingredients is growing in the region, especially for U.S. tree nuts, dairy products, and beef and beef products, a few of the many ingredients being showcased at the World Cup USA Pavilion in Qatar.
“This year the World Cup may be more than 7,600 miles from the United States, but FAS is proudly representing Team USA and our food and ag MVPs back home,” added Brown. “Visitors to the USA Pavilion will travel on a food and ag tour across our wonderful country as their senses discover ingredients and products from Virginia and Louisiana, to Texas, California, Hawaii, and other amazing states in between. This international food and ag marketing and outreach effort is sure to be a win for America as millions of global consumers Try it, Taste it, See it, and Love it, at the World Cup!”
For more on the USDA’s activities promoting U.S. food at the FIFA World Cup, Rod Bain with USDA Radio checked in with FAS’s Lucas Blaustein, on the ground in Doha. Listen now:
US Ag and Food Offerings Featured at World Cup
Actuality: Partnerships and Education Part of USA Pavilion at the World Cup
Actuality: World Cup and Potential Market Growth in Middle East Region
