| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | CONTACT: Cheryl Tuck |
| September 16, 2005 | (406) 761-7732 TTY (406) 444-4687 |
Taiwanese Buyers to View Montana Wheat Industry
HELENA, Mont. — A delegation of Taiwan flour millers and government officials will visit Montana next week as part of an agricultural goodwill mission that also includes stops in Idaho, North Dakota and Washington, D.C.
Three high-level members of the Taiwan Flour Mills Association will be among the delegation, which will arrive in Helena on Sept. 18, 2005. Accompanying the group will be officials from U.S. Wheat-Taiwan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the Department of North American Affairs and the Taipei Economic & Cultural Affairs Office in Seattle.
A press conference is scheduled at 1:30 p.m., Monday, Sept. 19, in the Governor's Conference Room. In addition to a roundtable discussion, the group will have breakfast with Governor Brian Schweitzer and other state and wheat industry officials on Sept. 20. U.S. Wheat Associates, Montana Department of Agriculture and the Montana Wheat & Barley Committee are hosting the group.
Montana exports approximately 5.4 million bushels of wheat to Taiwan annually, says Montana Department of Agriculture Director Nancy K. Peterson. While in D.C., the delegation is expected to sign a letter of intent to purchase 1.7 million metric tons of wheat, much of it from Montana.
The purpose of the Montana portion of the trip, coordinated with help from the Montana Department of Commerce, is to renew the long-standing friendships developed between the two countries over the years. The delegation also will have opportunities to learn about current crop production and quality and to visit with Montana producers, representatives of the grain industry and government officials.
Taiwan was the fourth largest customer of U.S. hard red spring wheat last year, and its flour millers are among the most quality-conscious buyers in the world. Montana's high quality wheat brings Taiwan back to our state frequently. Since 1981, Montana Wheat and Barley Committee have hosted 106 honored Taiwanese visitors.
For more information about the visit, contact the
Montana Department of Agriculture at (406) 444-2402,
or by email at agr@mt.gov.
