This summer's event -- from August 16-20 -- will mark the seventh ambassadors tourGrassley has organized to showcase Iowa's people, places and products.
"This tour promotes Iowa's workforce, quality manufactured products, financial andinsurance services, educational facilities, raw commodities, and value-added agricultural products. We give our international guests an opportunity to savor a taste of Iowa so they can spread the wordabout our products back in their own countries," Grassley said.
During a week-long bus caravan through Ames, Johnston, Iowa Falls, Webster City, FortDodge, Eagle Grove, Conrad, Homestead, Amana Colonies,Cedar Rapids, Newton, Pella,Grinnell, and Des Moines, the delegation will visit technology and service companies, research andmanufacturing facilities, a state university, local attractions, a family farm, and the Iowa State Fair. As in previous years, hundreds of Iowans will open their homes to host the diplomats overnight inAmes, Fort Dodge and Grinnell.
Grassley said Iowa families, local sponsors and host communities have made the biennialambassadors visits successful. Tour events are completely funded by private individual andcorporate sponsors. Grassley also works with the Iowa Department of Economic Development tomaximize the benefits of the trade tour of Iowa.
Grassley said he began this effort during the farm crisis of the 1980s, and that depressedcommodity prices this year underscore Iowa's economic dependence on international trade. Fostering good relations with new and existing trading partners is an integral part of Grassley's workas chairman of the Senate International Trade Subcommittee, where he seeks fair trade and expandedmarkets for U.S. exports. "The people who have participated in these trips tell me the introductionsand interaction bring positive results," he said. "We don't sign contracts on these trade missions, butwe sow the seeds."
Grassley was in Des Moines this morning to advocate for the interest of American farmersin the world trade arena during a "listening session" sponsored by the Office of the U.S. TradeRepresentative and the USDA. "We need to put American agriculture in a strong position at thenegotiating tables when the next round of farm trade talks begins in November," he said. "Newmarkets must be opened to regain profitability in agriculture."
The following schedule includes the dates and locations for the tour events. A list of the 45countries who have confirmed that an ambassador or trade minister will attend is also attached.
Itinerary for Senator Grassley's
1999 Ambassadors Tour of Iowa
Monday, August 16, 1999
DES MOINES
10:30 amInternational Delegation ArrivesDes Moines International Airport
5800 Fleur Drive
11:00 am-12:15 pmReception & Delegation TourTerrace Hill Mansion
2300 Grand Avenue
12:30-1:45 pmWorld Food Prize LuncheonDes Moines Marriott
700 Grand Avenue
AMES
2:30-4 pmDelegation TourEngineering Animation
2321 North Loop Drive
4:15-6 pmDelegation VisitIowa State University
6 pmDinnerReiman Gardens
1407 Elwood Drive
OvernightAmes Host Families
Tuesday, August 17, 1999
JOHNSTON
8-9:30 amBreakfastPioneer Hi-Bred International
7000 62nd Street
9:30-11 amDelegation TourPioneer Hi-Bred International
7000 62nd Street
IOWA FALLS
12:30-2 pmCommunity LuncheonEllsworth Community College
General Student Center
1100 College Avenue
WEBSTER CITY
2:30-4 pmDelegation TourFrigidaire Home Products
& Beam Industries
400 Des Moines Street
FORT DODGE
4:30-6 pmDelegation TourFort Dodge Animal Health
800 5th Street, NW
6:15 pmDinnerOpera House, Old Fort Dodge
OvernightFort Dodge Host Families
-- more --
Wednesday, August 18, 1999
EAGLE GROVE
8:30-10 am Delegation TourAgribusiness Processing
Soybean Oil Refinery
North Commercial Street
CONRAD
11:15 am-12:30 pmFarm Visit & LuncheonConrad Family Farm
West edge of Conrad
HOMESTEAD
3:30-4:15 pmVisit to Homestead Church
AMANA COLONIES
4:30-5:30 pmCity Tour
CEDAR RAPIDS
6:15 pmDinnerCedar Rapids Country Club
550 27th Street Drive, SE
Thursday, August 19, 1999
8-9 amBreakfastToyota Financial Services Center
Main Entrance
5005 North River Boulevard, NE
9:30-11 amTrain TripCedar Rapids to Marshalltown
Departing from UP Beverly Yard
South of General Mills on Hwy 30
NEWTON
11:30 am-1:45 pmDelegation Tour & LuncheonMaytag
1 Dependability Square
PELLA
2:15-3:45 pmDelegation TourPella Windows & Doors
102 Main
4-5:30 pmDelegation TourVermeer Manufacturing
Route 2, Global Pavillion
GRINNELL
6 pmDinnerGrinnell Middle School
S. East Grinnell
OvernightGrinnell Host Families
Friday, August 20
DES MOINES
8:45-10 amBreakfastDes Moines
10:15-1:15 pmDelegation Visit & LuncheonIowa State Fair
*Lunch at Fair Director's Residence
3 pmInternational Delegation DepartsDes Moines International Airport
5800 Fleur Drive
Countries to be represented on the 1999 Ambassadors Tour of Iowa
Australia
Austria*
Bangladesh
Bolivia*
Cameroon*
Canada
Chile
China
Colombia*
Costa Rica*
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
Dominican Repulbic
Egypt
El Salvador*
European Union
Fiji*
Germany
Ghana*
Hong Kong
Hungary
India*
Israel
Jamaica*
Japan
Kazakhstan*
Kenya*
Korea*
Laos*
Liberia*
Lithuania
Malaysia*
Mexico*
Namibia*
Netherlands
New Zealand*
Papua New Guinea
Poland
Romania
Singapore*
Sri Lanka*
Switzerland*
Taipei*
United Kingdom
*Indicates the ambassador will attend.