This week, a delegation of Minnesota agriculture officials are traveling to the Philippines in hopes to establish trade relations.  The delegation will be led by the Minnesota Commissioner of Agriculture, Thom Petersen.  The group will meet with officials from the Philippines Department of Agriculture, as well as with Philippine agriculture industry officials.  Petersen says the Philippines represent a big market for the upper Midwest states.  Representatives from the Minnesota Corn Research and Promotion Council, Minnesota Soybean Growers Association, and Minnesota Wheat Research and Promotional Council will accompany Petersen on the trade mission.  The Minnesota Commissioner of Agriculture says wheat is a major export from Minnesota to the Philippines and he says it is important to have farmers share their story with foreign officials during the agriculture trade missions.  As part of their tour, the trade delegation will visit a Cargill poultry plant.  Petersen refers to Minnesota as an “agricultural power-house and says he is proud of the many Minnesota-based food companies that may also benefit from the trade tour.  In addition to Minnesota, delegations from Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota will also participate in the Philippines trade mission.