PULLMAN, Wash. — David Salmon, U.S. agricultural trade officer to Japan, will visit Washington state on July 22-23 to meet with representatives of commodity groups, agribusiness and ag technology. “Foreign markets play a major role in the state’s economy,” said Larry Albin, executve director of the USDA-Washington Farm Services Agency. “We welcome the opportunity to showcase Washington agriculture.”
Nearly 40 percent of the state’s $2 billion in agricultural exports go to Japan annually, according to the International Marketing Program for Agricultural Commodities and Trade at Washington State University.
Salmon and other ag trade officers are touring the nation to speak about global market challenges that face American agriculture.
“This will be a good chance to learn first-hand what the government’s transition toward market-based agriculture will mean to producers and others who benefit from export markets,” said Albin.
Salmon will meet with agricultural representatives at a breakfast and mini-trade show in Spokane on Monday, July 22. Following the morning meeting, he will travel by bus through farm and ranch lands to the Tri-Cities for a tour of the Department of Energy’s agricultural technology lab. Salmon’s day concludes with a tour of the WSU Prosser Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center.
The trade officer will fly to Seattle on Tuesday, July 23, to meet with Westside commodity groups and ag representatives at the Port of Seattle.
Salmon’s visit is part of USDA’s 1996 Farm Bill effort to develop foreign market opportunities for U.S. agriculture.
Reporters: For more information, contact Larry Albin, USDA-Farm Service Agency in Spokane at (509) 353-2307.
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