Grassley said during the week the diplomats will stay in the houses of Iowans at the over-night stops in Mason City, the Iowa Great Lakes and Sioux City. "Our friends see first-hand the generosity of hundreds of Iowans. They're immersed in Iowa values and friendship," he said.
Grassley began his effort during the 1980s farm crisis. Fostering good relations with new and existing trading partners is an integral part of Grassley's work as Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, which oversees trade issues.
Tour events are completely funded by private, individual and corporate sponsors. Grassley also works with the Iowa Department of Economic Development to maximize the benefits of the trade tour of Iowa.
Here is the schedule for the week.
Monday, August 11, 2003
11:30 a.m. Delegation Arrives at Des Moines International Airport
12:30 p.m. Urbandale, Tour Insta-Pro International, 10301 Dennis Drive
3:00 p.m. Ankeny, Tour John Deere Des Moines Works, 825 SW Irvinedale Drive
7:30 p.m. Mason City, Dinner hosted by Mason City Chamber of Commerce, Music Man Square, 308 South Pennsylvania Avenue
Tuesday, August 12, 2003
7:30 a.m. Mason City, Breakfast hosted by IBM Iowa Operations, Holiday Inn, Salon II, 2101 4th Street
9:30 a.m. Forest City, Tour Winnebago Industries, 605 West Crystal Lake Road
12 noon Algona, Lunch hosted by Algona Chamber of Commerce, Knights of Columbus Hall, 501 East Walnut Street
2:15 p.m. Lakota, Tour Midwest Grain Processors ethanol plant, 1660 428th Street
5:00 p.m. Spirit Lake, Tour Polaris Industries, 1900 Highway 71
6:30 p.m. Arnolds Park, Dinner hosted by Iowa Great Lakes Chamber of Commerce, The Majestic Pavilion, Arnolds Park Amusement Park, 37 Lake Street
Wednesday, August 13
9:30 a.m. Hull, Tour Foreign Candy Company, 1 Foreign Candy Drive
11:00 a.m. Sioux Center, Tour TransOva Genetics, 3483 Highway 75
12:30 p.m. Sioux Center, Lunch hosted by Dordt College, Campus Center, 498 4th Avenue
2:00 p.m. Orange City, Walking Tour of Orange City
4:15 p.m. LeMars, Tour Ice Cream Capital of the World Visitor Center, 16 5th Avenue, NW
6:30 p.m. Sioux City, Dinner hosted by Siouxland Chamber of Commerce, Orpheum Theatre, 528 Pierce Street
Thursday, August 14, 2003
6:30 a.m. Sioux City Breakfast hosted by Siouxland Chamber of Commerce, Sioux City Convention, Center, 801 4th Street
9:30 a.m. Aurelia, Tour Gleinke Family Dairy Farm, 2111 630th Street
11:15 a.m. Storm Lake, Lunch hosted by Storm Lake Chamber of Commerce, Sunrise Campgrounds
2:45 p.m. Dayton, Tour Monsanto Field Research Station, Highway 169
6:15 p.m. Ames, Reception hosted by "Promote Iowa Education," Iowa State Memorial Union,The Great Hall, Iowa State University
7:30 p.m. Ames, Dinner Hosted by Iowa State University, Iowa State Memorial Union The Sun Room, Iowa State University
Friday, August 15, 2003
7:30 a.m. Des Moines Breakfast hosted by World Food Prize, Des Moines Marriott, Davenport & Dubuque Rooms, 700 Grand Avenue
9:15 a.m. Tour Kemin Industries, 2100 Maury Street
11:00 a.m. Tour Iowa State Fair
1:00 p.m. Lunch at Iowa State Fair, Iowa State Fairgrounds, Farm Bureau Shelter
2:50 p.m. Delegation Departs Des Moines International Airport
Participating Countries
| Algeria Angola* Armenia* Australia Austria Azerbaijan Belarus* Benin Bolivia* Brazil Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Canada Cape Verde* Chile* Colombia* Costa Rica Cyprus Denmark El Salvador European Commission Finland France Gambia Germany Grenada Honduras* Hungary India* Indonesia* Israel |
Japan Lesotho* Lithuania Malawi Malta* Mexico Mongolia* Namibia Nepal Netherlands New Zealand Philippines Qatar Romania Russia Senegal* Singapore* Slovenia St. Kitts & Nevis St. Vincent & the Grenadines* Suriname* Switzerland Taiwan Thailand Trinidad and Tobago* Turkey United Kingdom Uruguay Zambia* Zimbabwe* |
*Indicates the ambassador will attend. In other cases, countries will be represented by another member of the diplomatic team in the country's embassy in Washington, D.C.