Professional Documents
Culture Documents
by US Wheat
Associates
Building mutual trust and long-term business relationships takes time and commitment. As a
part of its market development activities, one important activity US Wheat Associates (USW)
employs to create stronger partnerships with overseas customers is to invite them to have a
first-hand look at the US wheat crop. That is what a team of six-flour milling executives from
Japans leading milling companies will do during travel to the Pacific Northwest April 30 to May
8, 2015.
Japan imports large amounts of US wheat so it is important for the Japanese flour milling
industry to regularly exchange views and information with US wheat organisations and
businesses, said Mr Masaaki Kadota, executive director of Japans Flour Millers Association.
We really appreciate your efforts to support our needs as your customers.
USW collaborated with the Montana Wheat and Barley Committee, Oregon Wheat
Commission and Washington Grain Commission to organise and host this trade team.
The Oregon Wheat Growers League (OWGL) established the first overseas US wheat export
office in Tokyo in 1956 and in that same year, the first Japanese millers team visited the United
States to learn about its markets. After it was established, USW continued the tradition and for
well over a decade, this particular activity has become an annual trip for Japanese executive
millers. According to Kadota - who has accompanied this team for many years - there is always
something new to learn and discuss.
There is nothing better than strengthening the mutual trust I have with those whom I meet
each year, said Kadota.
The team will make stops in Oregon, Washington and Montana. During meetings with wheat
farmers, grain industry representatives and university researchers, the team will discuss the US
wheat supply and demand picture,
including potential quality, availability
and price. The team will also discuss
current views on competitive markets,
dietary trends and the role innovations
in wheat breeding will have in
balancing future world food supply
demands with the need for less impact
on the environment.
This exchange of dialogue and
information is essential to US trade
with Japan, said USW West Coast
Office Assistant Director Shawn
Campbell. When questions and
concerns arise, we rely on the trust
built during these activities to guide
us toward decisions that have a
positive impact for both US wheat
farmers and the Japanese milling
industry.
USW is the industrys market
development organisation working in
more than 100 countries. Its mission is to develop, maintain, and expand international markets
to enhance the profitability of US wheat producers and their customers. USW activities are
made possible through producer checkoff dollars managed by 19 state wheat commissions
and cost-share funding provided by USDAs Foreign Agricultural Service. USW maintains
17 offices strategically located around the world to help wheat buyers, millers, bakers, wheat
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6/21/12 3:47 PM
May 2015 | 73