Gov. Nixon closes agreements to sell $700 million in Missouri goods to Taiwan

Press Release

Gov. Jay Nixon announced today that the state of Missouri had closed agreements with trade organizations in the Republic of China (Taiwan) to sell $700 million in Missouri goods to Taiwanese consumers over the next four years. The Governor, leading a delegation of Missouri businesses, commodity groups and higher educational institutions, plans to close additional export agreements in the Republic of Korea, where the delegation arrived today.

"Exporting more Missouri-made and Missouri-grown products around the globe has been a top priority of my administration from day one for a simple reason: it creates jobs and strengthens our economy at home," Gov. Nixon said. "Today, with businesses hiring and our unemployment rate far below the national average, these agreements to sell $700 million in Missouri goods to consumers in Taiwan will help us build on this momentum and continue moving our economy forward."

In Taipei, Gov. Nixon's administration signed agreements with two Taiwanese trade organizations to sell $700 million in Missouri goods to Taiwan over the next four years: a $200 million agreement between the Missouri Department of Agriculture and the Taiwan Feed Industry Association, and a $500 million agreement between the Missouri Department of Economic Development and the Taiwan External Trade Development Council. The Governor also met with government officials and with Taiwanese importers of Missouri products.

For businesses taking part in the delegation, this exports mission has offered unique opportunities to pursue and close agreements with new customers. For example, Garden City-based NeCo Seeds closed two deals that will expand the availability of Missouri soy products throughout Taiwan, signing new distribution agreements with two major Taiwanese food distributors. The delegation visited one of NeCo Seeds' retail stores in Taipei on Sunday.

Gov. Nixon has made creating opportunities for Missouri businesses to sell their products around the globe a top priority. The Governor led successful trade missions to China (October 2011) and Brazil (April 2012), which resulted in agreements to sell $4.6 billion in Missouri goods to Chinese consumers, and the state's first-ever trade agreement with the State of São Paulo, Brazil's financial capital. The past two calendar years, 2011 and 2012, were the best on record for export sales by Missouri businesses, with a total of $28 billion in Missouri-made goods sold around the world. To continue this momentum, the Governor's Fiscal Year 2014 budget calls for $2.3 million in funding to help businesses identify and access new export opportunities and to expand the state's presence in emerging markets around the world.

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