Governor Martz to Lead Trade Delegation to Asia April 15-23

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 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.

# # #

Kris Goss

Education Policy Advisor and Deputy Communications Director

Office of the Governor

State Capitol

Helena, MT 59620

(406) 444-3862

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