Beefing up international trade
BY ALYSSA MEIER
Editor
Lifetime rancher Clark Price took his passion for the beef industry oversees this month during a tour to encourage stronger ties between U.S. producers and Japanese consumers.
Price, who ranches just outside of Washburn and also runs a feedlot in the county, spent a week in Japan this month with 30 other U.S. ag industry leaders. The Heartland tour, operated by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (MEF)and North Dakota Beef Commission, works to further relationships with Japanese retailers, in hopes of increasing trade.
They take a group of 31 individuals from the beef, pork, corn and soybean industries,” Price said.
Price, who has worked with the MEF for several years and is the North Dakota beef representative, was asked to join the weeklong tour from Sept. 1 to Sept. 7. He agreed and, after a 14-hour-flight, found himself in Japan.
The group met with the U.S. Embassy, visited retailers and met with importers and beef packers.
Price said the group also hosted a barbeque, which helped to illustrate the cultural differences between the U.S. and Japanese representatives.
