Nov 2, 2018

Fruit industry reps, US official embark on South Korea Trade Mission

Representatives from nearly 50 U.S. agribusinesses and farm organizations will join Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) Administrator Ken Isley on a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) trade mission to Seoul, South Korea, Nov. 5-8.

“Korea is consistently among the largest and most reliable export markets for U.S. agriculture and the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement, known as KORUS, has opened up even greater opportunities,” Isley said. “This is my first trade mission as FAS administrator and I’m delighted to be joined by a large delegation of business and state government leaders from the U.S. who are seeking to capitalize on those opportunities.”

Participants will meet one-on-one with potential customers and learn firsthand about local market conditions through a series of briefings and site visits, ultimately positioning themselves for successful business dealings in South Korea.

Isley will be joined on the trade mission with representatives from a variety of agriculture-related companies, including some with ties to the fruit markets:

• All Berry and Fruits, Portland, Ore.
• Bard Valley Date Growers, Yuma, Ariz.
• California Fresh Fruit Association, Fresno, Calif.
• Cherry Central Cooperative, Inc., Traverse City, Mich.
• Dragonberry Produce, Canby, Ore.
• Graceland Fruit, Inc., Frankfort, Mich.
• International Marketing Brands, Kirkland, Wash.
• North Bay Produce, Inc., Traverse City, Mich.
• Royal Ridge Fruits, Royal City, Wash.
• US Fresh Export LLC, Rosemead, Calif.
• S. Grains Council, Washington, D.C.
• Wild Blueberries of North America, Old Town, Maine

Isley will also be joined by Nebraska Director of Agriculture Steve Wellman, Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Bettina Ring, and officials from the Georgia and Missouri departments of agriculture.

Learn more about this and other USDA trade missions by visiting https://www.fas.usda.gov/topics/trade-missions and following FAS on Twitter at @USDAForeignAg.

FAS Admin Ken Isley is leading nearly 50 US agribusinesses & organizations on #USDAtrade mission to South Korea, Nov. 5-8. US ag #exports to Korea grew 11% last yr, from $6.2 billion in 2016 to nearly $7 billion in 2017. https://t.co/VrszlqnLGX pic.twitter.com/fUVgOjjYiB

— Foreign Ag Service (@USDAForeignAg) November 2, 2018