TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A 16-member delegation led by Iowa Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Grant Menke concluded its trade mission to Taiwan and Japan on Monday (Nov. 25).
A press release stated representatives from the Iowa Beef Industry Council, Iowa Corn, and others visited Taipei, Tokyo, and Osaka from Nov. 15-23. Their itinerary focused on trade policy and agricultural exchanges, per CNA.
Iowa Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Grant Menke said Iowa is an agricultural powerhouse. He added the state should seek new markets and share its abundance with the world.
“This North Asian mission allowed our well-rounded ag delegation to build on Iowa’s long standing friendship and partnership in trade with both Japan and Taiwan,” Menke said.
“Strong, stable markets that depend heavily on imports for their food and agriculture needs and deeply value the reliability and premium quality of Iowa’s meat products and commodities,” he added.
Iowa Economic Development Authority said Taiwan and Japan ranked in the top 10 US agricultural export markets last year. Taiwan is Iowa’s 13th largest trading partner, with exports estimated at US$321 million (NT$10.4 billion) in manufactured and value-added goods in 2023.
Taiwan is the eighth-largest destination for Iowa soybeans, accounting for US$87.4 million in 2023. Iowa companies exported US$50.5 million in meat products to Taiwan in 2023.