A group of 60 Minnesota business and agricultural officials are in the United Kingdom this week in hopes of building relationships for a possible free trade pact down the road between the two nations. Minnesota Soybean Grower’s Association Executive Director Joe Smentek who’s with the group says they’re hoping to get rid of trade barriers put up when the U.K. was part of the European Union.
He says U.K. officials appear to be more open to free trade and removing any snags what might hamper it.
Smentek says there are great opportunities to sell to the U.K. several soy products as well as the meal, oil and beans themselves.
Smentek says there are 19 tracks working on agriculture in this trade trip with many others working on other business opportunities being led by Governor Walz
Smentek says what makes the U.K. such a possible lucrative market for U.S. agriculture is that being an island nation they can only produce enough food to feed themselves for 6 to 7 months a year. And that makes them an importing country.
