For more information:
Lee Benson, Public Information Officer
lee.benson@ag.ok.gov | 405.522.5479
October 20, 2023
Oklahoma State Board of Agriculture Assists in Hosting International Trade Mission
IDABEL, Okla. — The Oklahoma State Board of Agriculture hosted delegations from Vietnam and Thailand this week as part of an inbound trade mission. The delegates made stops in Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Texas.
“We always enjoy introducing people to Oklahoma agriculture,” said Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture Blayne Arthur. “One of our primary goals at the department is to increase opportunities for our local producers to expand their business to markets around the world.”
The trade mission took place in southeast Oklahoma, home to the vast majority of the state’s forestland. The delegates toured a tree farm in Idabel, a distillery in Hochatown, and the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry Tree Improvement Center.
Members of the Oklahoma State Board of Agriculture partnered with the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture to host the Oklahoma portion of the trade mission. NASDA, which is comprised of secretaries, directors, and commissioners of agriculture from across the United States, sent representatives to Vietnam and Thailand on trade missions earlier this year.
Last month, Arthur was elected NASDA President at the conclusion of the NASDA Annual Meeting in Cheyenne, Wyo.
“The opportunity to serve NASDA as President is incredibly humbling and certainly an honor, and I appreciate the support of my fellow ag Commissioners in this new role,” Arthur said. “Agriculture looks different all across the United States, but I look forward to working together to cultivate common ground as we help producers feed, fuel, and clothe the world. NASDA members will remain steadfast in our commitment to strengthen and promote agriculture in this country, and I am excited to continue this work with my colleagues.”
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