HANOI, June 3 (Reuters) - Vietnamese firms will sign

memorandums of understanding with U.S. partners to buy $2

billion worth of American farm produce, the agriculture ministry

said on Tuesday, part of efforts to seal a new trade deal

between the two countries.

Vietnam has been slapped with 46% "reciprocal" tariffs by

the Trump administration. Though they have been paused until

July, if they come into effect they could seriously undermine a

growth model that relies on exports to the United States, its

top market.

The new deals, signed during a visit to the United States by

a delegation of 50 Vietnamese companies led by agriculture

minister Do Duc Duy, include 5 MoUs to buy $800 million of

products from Iowa over three years, the agriculture ministry

said.

The Iowa MoUs involve purchases of corn, wheat, dried

distillers grains and soybean meal, it added.

Vietnam and the Trump administration have been holding

negotiations on a trade agreement, with Vietnam pledging to

allow more U.S. imports to narrow the trade gap between the two

countries. The United States registered a trade deficit of $123

billion with Vietnam last year.

Vietnam last year bought $3.4 billion worth of U.S. farm

produce, and exported $13.68 billion of its own agricultural

products to the United States, Vietnam News Agency reported.

Vietnam has also pledged to buy other American products,

including Boeing ( BA ) planes and liquefied natural gas. It has also

promised to

crack down on counterfeits

and digital piracy after the U.S. accused the country of

being a major hub for these illegal activities.