Trade relationships in Asia are critically important for Montana agriculture. When the opportunity arose to join Governor Gianforte’s trade mission to South Korea and Japan, Montana Farm Bureau President Cyndi Johnson enthusiastically accepted her role as an agricultural organization leader. This mission underscored Montana’s commitment to strengthening international partnerships, growing exports, and attracting foreign investment.

“Farm Bureau Federation has a great reputation for being a conduit for relationship building,” said Johnson, a wheat farmer from Conrad. “We are here to support all commodity industries in their efforts to develop new trade partnerships, strengthen old ones, and ensure they have what they need to succeed.”

Johnson’s primary role was to confirm established international relationships and represent the Farm Bureau’s support for Montana’s cattle producers, grain growers, and pulse growers.

“It was wonderful to be there and be involved. We met with flour millers and grain buyers,” Johnson noted. “This trade mission provided an excellent venue for us to strengthen our relationships in the Pacific Rim.”

The Montana delegation’s first stop was Seoul, South Korea, Montana’s second-largest trading partner in 2024, with exports totaling $335 million. The group met with representatives from the Korea International Trade Association (KITA), where they explored ideas for increasing imports of Montana products.

Tours included the impressive Incheon Port, known for its lock system that allows ships to proceed regardless of the tide, and a flour mill where Montana wheat is processed.

The mission also focused on beef imports. Meetings with the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) confirmed the strong demand. “They want to get meat from Montana and the U.S. as they love the quality,” Johnson stated. “We spent time strengthening those relationships with USMEF.”

During the Korean visit, Governor Gianforte also laid a wreath at the Korean War Memorial by the list of Montana soldiers who lost their lives in the conflict, which Johnson said was impactful.

Johnson observed that South Korea, “truly honors its economic relationships with the United States and holds them in high esteem. They sincerely appreciated that we traveled to see them and they want to be better trade partners.”

Heading out of Seoul, the group landed in Tokyo, Japan. Montana’s largest and most consistent export to Japan and Korea is hard wheat, totaling $38 million in sales last year. Lunch meetings with the Japan Flour Millers Association and the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) allowed Montana's wheat producers to share updates on the wheat and barley harvest.

A meeting at the USMEF office included Tom Kasitani, the USMEF liaison for the U.S. and Japan, who took the group to the impressive four-story Aeon Shinagawa Seaside Market. Johnson shared an interesting cultural observation: “Living quarters are small, and people don’t have space for larger refrigerators or freezers, so people go to the market daily. For instance, bread—many using Montana wheat—was packaged with only six pieces.”

Pulse crops, such as chickpeas and green peas, are also entering the Asian diet. “The U.S. sells green peas to Japan for wasabi,” Johnson pointed out.

The final stop was to Kumamoto Prefecture, which has been a sister-state of Montana since 1982. The visit involved further trade talks, a tour of Kumamoto Castle, and meetings with the prefecture's governor and students from U.M. Western who were there on an exchange program.

Johnson concluded that the trade mission was successful, noting her primary inclusion was to maintain existing relationships, while other delegates worked to grow new markets.

“A lot of the trade centers around the higher-quality beef and wheat coming from the United States and especially Montana,” Johnson explained. “We are competing against cheaper, lower-quality products coming in from other countries. However, the Japanese especially appreciate the high quality of our wheat and beef. I believe our market access is bound to improve in both of these markets due to efforts like this trade mission.”

“I felt we were all very valued on this trip and there was deep appreciation that Governor Gianforte brought farmers and ranchers to visit with their dignitaries about trade,” she said.