BPJPH and USDA Boost Bilateral Partnerships

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Halal Product Assurance Organizing Agency Republic of Indonesia (BPJPH RI) held a strategic meeting with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in Jakarta, on Wednesday, 4 February 2026. The meeting focused on improving the quality of agricultural trade and aligning halal standards between the two countries.

Prioritizing and meeting the halal standards in order to fulfil the needs of the Indonesian market: Both parties acknowledged that Indonesia continues to prioritize halal-certified products to meet the huge demand of its domestic halal-conscious consumers.

On this occasion, the Head of BPJPH RI, Ahmad Haikal Hasan, also highly appreciates that the US actually had started to build halal ecosystem, back in 1980, long before Indonesia started to develop its national halal ecosystem.

The meeting also noted that the US has a strategic plan to engage with 6 countries within the year as part of an overseas engagement of agricultural trade expansion and partnership initiative. Indonesia is surely included. 

Meanwhile, Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Luke Lindberg conveyed the US government has taken into account that there is significant interest from US farmers to increase their trade activities within Indonesia. It recognized that it is as a vital market for their products and therefore to comply with halal standards.

“The US appreciated that BPJPH RI has been working on to recognize US Halal Certification Bodies and expressed its commitment to meeting Indonesian halal standards as a way to reduce trade barriers, which is expected to foster significant businesses growth for both countries,”  Luke Lindberg stated.

The meeting also addressed the fact that differing halal standards between countries could be quite challenging, emphasizing the need for improved production facilities that are specifically equipped to meet these requirements.

The main commodities discussed in optimising import from the US include soybeans, meat products, and dairy products, all of which must comply with the established halal protocols.

According to a release received by RRI Voice of Indonesia on Thursday, 5 February 2026 that through this meeting, BPJPH RI and USDA affirmed their shared commitment to strengthening strategic partnerships in agricultural trade. They create  not only a more transparent and efficient halal certification process, and but also deliver tangible benefits to farmers, businesses, and consumers in Indonesia and the United States.