THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | APRIL-MAY 2025 49 The first shipment of “California gold” from the Golden State is delivered to the taste testing event in August 2024. diplomatic, policy, and technical levels, APHIS promotes sciencebased regulatory transparency that leads to safe and resilient agricultural trade. Market access for fruits from the U.S. to Vietnam and vice versa supports producers and consumers of both countries. Thus, citrus diplomacy was followed by “stone fruit diplomacy” a year later. Looking at the U.S.-Vietnam relationship and working closely with the California Fresh Fruit Association (CFFA), APHIS determined that Vietnam, the “Land of the Blue Dragon,” could be a strategic export market for the “golden” state’s stone fruit industry. In Vietnam, the dragon is a positive symbol of rain, agriculture, strength, and good luck; and the country’s coastal location and stunning azure waters add “blue.” Vietnamese consumers value high-quality and sweet fruit; California peaches and nectarines would most definitely meet this requirement. (I must admit—being from California and growing up on such amazing fresh fruit—there is nothing better than a juicy peach or nectarine on a hot August day.) “Stone Fruit” Diplomacy But as you probably guessed, it isn’t as easy as simply sending the fruit to Vietnam. This is where the APHIS Foreign Service comes in. The regulatory process is arduous, requiring on-theground engagement and numerous rounds of bilateral consultations. First, all the potential plant pests and diseases must be identified in what we call a Pest Risk Assessment (PRA), and then risk mitigation measures are identified. After that, there are rounds of negotiation to establish guidelines. Only then can an import permit be issued, and California can begin to send its tasty and sweet peaches and nectarines. Normally I would focus on all the technical hurdles we faced, but this story is more about one perfect day in Hanoi, a warm, pleasant August day—Aug. 14, 2024, to be exact—when some APHIS folks made history. The APHIS team in Hanoi is led by Senior Foreign Service Officer J.J. Hurley, with Brooke Rockentine as one of our newest Foreign Service officers, and locally employed (LE) staff members, agricultural scientists Nguyễn Vietnam ranks as the United States’ 10th-largest export market for agricultural and food products, while the United States is the largest agricultural export market for Vietnam. KLEVER FRUIT
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