Foreign Ag Officials Experience Southern Hospitality
U.S.-based agricultural officials from around the world visited Arkansas and Louisina to learn about U.S. agriculture during FAS’s annual attaché tour.
Diplomats from every corner of the globe got a taste of Southern hospitality – and of the diversity of U.S. agriculture – during FAS’s foreign agricultural attaché tour in early September. FAS arranges the tour to an agricultural area each year to give the attachés, most of whom are stationed at their countries’ embassies, an up-close look at farming and agribusiness in the United States.
This year, 27 officials traveled to Arkansas and Louisiana, visiting farms that produce everything from fish to rice to cotton to popcorn. They also toured processing and shipping facilities and research institutions, all the while gaining new insights into the issues and challenges facing U.S. food producers, processors and exporters.
“During their time in Arkansas, the foreign agricultural attachés were inquisitive, engaged and motivated to learn more about how Arkansas fits into the global agriculture picture,” said Wes Ward, the state’s secretary of agriculture. “The interactions during the tour will undoubtedly help to build lasting relationships that we hope will help sustain existing trade relationships while also opening up new markets and trade opportunities. As a southern state, Arkansas is often known for its hospitality to guests. During their time in Arkansas, we made it a point that each foreign agricultural attaché received an open invitation to return to our state at any time in the future.”