At a news conference held March 2, before the opening of the FOODEX JAPAN trade show, U.S. Grains Council President and CEO Thomas C. Dorr joined the U.S. Ambassador to Japan and several Japanese food industry leaders to announce the upcoming “Partners in Agriculture” events.

The “Partners in Agriculture” events celebrate 50 years of the U.S., Japan agricultural trade relationship. “Partners in Agriculture” events will take place between March and June 2010, and are organized by USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS).

In his remarks, Mr. Dorr highlighted the “Global Food Security Symposium” scheduled for April 7, at the Hotel Okura in Tokyo, Japan. This symposium will bring top U.S. and Japanese government and industry leaders together to discuss how the U.S.-Japan partnership can build upon its past successes to increase food security around the world.

“FOODEX JAPAN was a fitting stage to talk about the ‘Partners in Agriculture’ initiative, and the long and mutually beneficial relationship between the United States and Japan that has spanned more than six decades,” said Dorr. “Our history of agricultural trade is a marvelous success story. It is an example of how effective Japanese and FAS leadership, in conjunction with cooperators such as the U.S. Grains Council, has made possible a variety of nutritional choices for the Japanese people, while developing a strong economic infrastructure for both countries. Now we must look forward together to extend the benefits of this partnership to others in developing countries.”

According to Dorr, the Council, representing the corn, sorghum and barley industries in international market development, is “proud” to be a part of the “Partners in Agriculture” events. “We are rooted in one of the fascinating historical highlights of our countries’ agricultural trade relationship,” said Dorr, who added that future efforts will only continue to build on this foundation of success.

“Trade relationships like the one the United States enjoys with Japan have a widespread, positive political and economic ripple effect in both countries,” explained Dorr. “Both countries benefit in terms of success in their agricultural production. They have also benefitted in the creation of infrastructure, technology and jobs to support not just food and agriculture, but the economic development of both countries. That’s why we seek to emulate the success of this relationship around the world – to improve the quality of life, nutritional choice and economic growth for all people.”

For more information about the “Partners in Agriculture” events, visit www.partners-in-agriculture.org.

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