News Release
Governor Martz Leads Delegation to Asia
4/7/2004
Kris Goss
406-444-3862
kgoss@state.mt.us
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 then attend a dinner hosted by the Taipei
Economic and Cultural Affairs Office in Seattle, and 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 to the country. 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
U.S.
Governor Martz and Betsy Baumgart, the 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; Ralph Peck, director of the Montana Department of
Agriculture; Betsy Baumgart, administrator of the Commerce Department's Promotion Division, Travel Montana; 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.
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Kris Goss
Education Policy Advisor and Deputy Communications Director
Office of the Governor
State Capitol
Helena, MT 59620
(406) 444-3862
kgoss@state.mt.us
