Representatives from the Taiwan Flour Millers Association signed a Letter of Intent Sept. 14 with U.S. Wheat Associates to purchase 1.9 million metric tons—about 69.8 million bushels—of wheat from the U.S. over the next two years, a commitment with an estimated value of $576 million.
The signing, held at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., was a much-anticipated stop for the 2022 Taiwan Agricultural Trade Goodwill Mission, a team made up of Taiwanese government officials and representatives of some of the largest importers of U.S. grains. The group is led by Yi-Cheun “Tony” Shu, chair of the TFMA and of Formosa Oilseed Processing Co. Also participating is Dr. Ching-Cheng Huang, deputy minister of Taiwan’s Council of Agriculture.
Taiwan is the sixth largest U.S. wheat export market and the seventh largest overseas market for U.S. agricultural products. Along with its intent to purchase U.S. wheat in 2023 and 2024, the team also signed Letters of Intent with the U.S. Soybean Export Council and the U.S. Grains Council to purchase soybeans and corn. The total estimated commitment in the three letters total $3.2 billion.
Michael Peters, USW Vice Chairman, signed the TFMA Letter of Intent on behalf of the U.S. wheat industry.
“American farmers place great value on the relationship between U.S. agriculture and Taiwan,” Peters, a wheat producer and cattle rancher from Okarche, Oklahoma, said during the signing ceremony. “We pride ourselves as being dependable partners who grow the highest quality agriculture products in the world. The TFMA and its members have been great trading partners who fully recognize the value of purchasing U.S. wheat.”
Among U.S. officials on hand were Sens. Kevin Cramer, R-ND, John Hoeven, R-ND, Frank Lucas, R-OK, Jim Risch, R-ID, and Chuck Grassley, R-IA. Rep. Steven Chabot, R-OH, co-chair of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus, was also present to witness the signing.
Following the visit to Washington, D.C., flour millers on the Mission headed west to get a firsthand look at U.S. wheat production and meet the people responsible for supplying high-quality wheat to Taiwan. The team visited wheat farmers in Kansas, Idaho and Oregon. Other scheduled stops also included the Kansas Wheat Innovation Center and the Port of Portland in Oregon.
USW also joined USSEC, USGC, the National Association of Wheat Growers and the North American Export Grain Association in hosting a reception for the Mission team on Sept. 13. The event provided leaders of the U.S. wheat and grain industry an opportunity to catch up with members of the Taiwan Goodwill Mission, which last visited the United States in 2019.
USW President Vince Peterson addressed the gathering by pointing out the long and beneficial history of cooperation between Taiwan’s flour milling industry and the U.S. wheat industry that first opened a promotional office in Taipei 56 years ago.
“Our legacy organization Western Wheat Associates established a presence in Taiwan in 1966, so we are going on six decades of working with the country’s flour millers and food industry,” Peterson said. “In that time, Taiwan has purchased more than 45 million metric tons of U.S. wheat. This partnership between TFMA, U.S. Wheat Associates and U.S. wheat producers has been on a great path, and we plan to continue on that path in the future. We truly thank the Taiwan Goodwill Mission for coming to the United States and for its ongoing preference for U.S. wheat and other agricultural products.”
