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Senator Baucus Bringing Ambassadors From Trading Partners Australia, Brazil, Colombia, South Korea, and Vietnam On Montana Jobs Tour Starting 5/29

Montana’s senior U.S. Senator Max Baucus will kick off his 2012 Ambassadors’ Tour next Tuesday, May 29, with a work day at Bozeman manufacturer Simms Fishing, which imports materials from Japan and exports fishing waders and outdoor recreation gear all over the world. The company has increased its payroll by 75 percent since 2009 earning Baucus’ Montana Jobs Economic Engine http://www.baucus.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=764 distinction.

Then beginning Wednesday, Baucus will bring Ambassadors from Australia, Brazil, Colombia, South Korea and Vietnam on tour across Montana to promote job creation by expanding trade opportunities.

"Seeing is believing, and we’ve shown time and time again that when the world sees what Montana has to offer, they’re sold," Baucus said. "This year’s Ambassadors Tour will give us a chance to follow up on connections we’ve built with countries like Colombia and a chance to open new doors with countries like Vietnam. I can’t wait to see the exciting ways Montana businesses turn this tour into jobs."

Baucus’ 2010 Ambassadors’ Tour and yielded results for Montana when Chile fully opened its market to American beef and Ireland donated $100,000 to an oral history project housed at the University of Montana. The 2010 tour also included a tour of Simms manufacturing facilities.

What stops will the 2012 Ambassadors’ Tour include?

The tour will include stops to showcase Montana businesses and products: from agriculture to manufacturing, tourism, and energy. A complete tour itinerary is available ONLINE HERE http://www.baucus.senate.gov/05122012AmbassadorsTourItineraryandCountryInformation.pdf . Press interested in attending any events, please RSVP to Kate Downen, Jenny Donohue or Kathy Weber.

Why do these countries matter for Montana jobs?

1. Colombia

* Montana exported $3.1 million worth of goods to Colombia in 2010.

* Baucus led a group of 15 Montana businesses http://www.baucus.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=356 on a Trade Mission to Colombia in 2011.

* The Colombia Free Trade Agreement Baucus ushered through the Senate went into force May 15th.

* The FTA immediately eliminates Colombia’s duties on high-quality Montana beef, wheat and barley.

* The FTA also benefits Montana manufacturing firms by immediately eliminating duties on 80 percent of exports to Colombia, with the remainder eliminated over time.

2. South Korea

* In 2011, Baucus secured a better deal for Montana beef in the South Korea Free Trade Agreement that entered into force March 15, 2012. The deal Baucus secured includes $11 million in USDA funding to promote American beef in South Korea and a commitment that the U.S. will continue to press for full market access beyond the FTA.

* The FTA will phase out Korea’s 40 percent tariff on U.S. beef imports over 15 years.

* According to the American Farm Bureau Association, Montana stands to gain $19.16 million per year from agricultural product exports to Korea, primarily in beef ($12.6 million) and wheat ($2.3 million).

3. Australia

* Since the passage of the US-Australia Free Trade Agreement (AUSFTA) in 2005, Montana exports to Australia have grown by more than 330 percent.

* Australian companies and groups such as Luzenac, Rio Tinto Energy America and Samson Oil & Gas Limited have stakes in various mines and drilling prospects throughout the state. Montana’s major exports to Australia include copper products, civil engineering equipment, mining equipment and tires, totaling more than $8 million in 2007.

* Several Montana companies export to Australia, including Spika Welding out of Lewistown and Tow-Haul Corporation (Smith Equipment USA), a mining equipment manufacturing company based in Belgrade.

4. Brazil

* Montana exports to Brazil totaled $5.74 million in 2010, a 66 percent increase from 2009.

* The top Montana export products to Brazil in 2010 were chemicals (39 percent), machinery (20 percent), transportation equipment (15 percent), and nonmetallic mineral products (14 percent).

* Copper oxide, from American Chemet in East Helena, accounted for 30 percent of Montana’s exports to Brazil alone. Talc, from the Luzenac milling facility in Three Forks, accounts for another 16 percent. Other notable exports included $700,000 worth of microfilm readers from various sources around the state and $500,000 in Malt from the Malteurop facility outside of Great Falls.

* Brazil’s trade relationship with the United States is also centered on the U.S.-Brazil Green Economy Partnership. This alignment will benefit proposed biofuel and ethanol plants in Montana like Big Sky Biodiesel in Glendive and AE Biofuels LLC, Montana Microbial Products Division in Butte.

5. Vietnam

* U.S. beef exports to Vietnam grew 21 percent between 2010 and 2011 to $191 million and this market represents continued opportunity for growth.

Contact: Kate Downen (406) 224-5056/Jennifer Donohue (202) 224-2651/Kathy Weber (406) 329-7980

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