| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | CONTACT: Ron Zellar |
| April 14, 2004 | (406) 444-5523 TTY (406) 444-4687 |
Governor Leads Ag and Tourism Mission to Asia
HELENA, Mont. — Governor Judy Martz will lead an agriculture and tourism development mission to Japan and Taiwan on April 15-23, 2004, to showcase Montana's two largest industries.
"I am very pleased to be leading this delegation to Asia," Governor Martz said. "This is an excellent opportunity to not only strengthen current partnerships we have there but also to develop new relationships in support of Montana's economy. I am confident that this will be a very productive trip."
Governor Martz, legislators, state agriculture officials, and tourism delegates have a full schedule of meetings, public relations events, discussions and interviews to promote Montana and its products and to strengthen working relationships in both countries.
"Agriculture and tourism annually bring $4 billion to Montana, and the international markets for both of these industries are very significant," Governor Martz said. "Coordinating two missions simultaneously has been a challenge, but is the most economical way to accomplish the state's important objectives."
Prior to departing for Taiwan and Japan, agriculture delegates and Governor Martz plan to meet in Seattle with officials of Columbia Grains, the largest merchandiser of Montana wheat and a company with close ties to Japanese importers. Martz will also attend a dinner hosted by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Affairs Office in Seattle, and will meet the following morning with the Japan Consul General.
Once in Taiwan, Governor Martz will meet with travel companies, government officials and agricultural importers. Her visit is likely to receive widespread attention in the Taiwanese media due to the stature accorded a visit by a U.S. governor. The itinerary includes a reception hosted by Taiwan flour millers and another hosted by the Montana-Asia Pacific Trade Office for media and Taiwanese operators of tours to the United States.
Governor Martz and Betsy Baumgart, administrator of the Department of Commerce's Promotion Division, will make presentations on the state's vacation destinations in an effort to increase the number of visitors to Montana. The potential dollar value of Taiwanese visitors to Montana has been estimated at $4.6 million. The potential in the Japanese market for Montana is almost $6 million.
"We're going to build and strengthen relationships," Baumgart said. "However, we're also interested in visiting our trade offices, seeing their operations and meeting with our representatives there."
In Japan, the tourism delegation will travel with the governor to Kumamoto Prefecture to promote and enhance the relationship with Montana's sister state. Martz will also meet with Kumamoto Governor Yoshiko Shiotani, who was elected to her second term on April 3.
While Governor Martz is in Kumamoto, agriculture delegates will travel to Tokyo and Osaka for discussions with meat importers and merchandisers.
"We hope to gain familiarity with Osaka's beef market, and to learn what it will take to reopen the Japanese market to U.S. beef and alleviate the discovery of a Canada-born cow with BSE in Washington state," Montana Agriculture Director Ralph Peck said. "Face-to-face meetings with elected leaders and key customers of Montana products are important to enhancing and maintaining our markets, particularly in Pacific Rim countries"
The agriculture delegates also will meet with officials of Japan's largest flour milling companies. Japan is the leading importer of U.S. grain, with one of every three bushels it purchases coming from Montana.
Others participating in the trade mission include: Sen. Keith Bales, chair
of the Senate Agriculture Committee; Sen. Joe Tropila, a member of the agriculture
committee; Rep. Jim Peterson, vice chair of the House Natural Resources Committee;
Rep. Jeff Pattison, member of the House Appropriations Committee; Webb Brown,
president of the Montana Chamber of Commerce; Ramona Holt, chair of the Montana
Tourism Advisory Council; Kathy Brown, a member of the Tourism Advisory Council;
and Robert Hanson, a member of the Montana Agricultural Development Council.
