Grassley's Trade Tour Brings the World to Iowa

Sen. Chuck Grassley today announced that he will host diplomats from 55 countries on a five-day trade tour of Iowa in August.

The biennial event – from August 13-17 – will mark the eighth ambassadors tour Grassley has organized since 1986 to promote trade opportunities for Iowans by showcasing the state's people, places and products.

"This tour promotes Iowa's workforce, quality manufactured products, state-of-the-art research and educational facilities, raw commodities and value-added agricultural products," said Grassley. "We give our guests an opportunity to explore America's heartland so that they can share worldwide about all of the good things Iowa has to offer."

During the week-long bus caravan through Des Moines, Brooklyn, Coralville/Iowa City, West Branch, the Quad Cities, Muscatine, Burlington, Fort Madison, Mount Pleasant, Fairfield, Ottumwa, Oskaloosa, Eddyville, Pella, Knoxville and Indianola, Grassley will show the diplomats the state's business, educational and cultural opportunities. The delegation will visit research and manufacturing facilities, technology companies, a state university and a private college, local cultural attractions, a family farm, and the Iowa State Fair.

Grassley said he began his effort during the 1980s farm crisis, and that recent depressed commodity prices underscore Iowa's economic dependence on international trade. Fostering good relations with new and existing trading partners is an integral part of Grassley's work as ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, which oversees trade issues. Grassley has been pushing hard this year for trade promotion authority for the president. He says the tool will help the president better negotiate trade agreements, which will expand U.S. trading opportunities.

"We don't sign contracts on these Iowa trade tours, but we sow the seeds," Grassley said. "The feedback I receive from past tour participants is that the experience and networking opportunities yield positive results for everyone. "

As in previous years, hundreds of Iowans will open their homes to host the diplomats overnight in Bettendorf, Mount Pleasant and Pella. "Iowa families, local sponsors and host communities play a key role in the tour's success," Grassley said.

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.

DES MOINES

11:55 a.m. International Delegation Arrives at Signature Flight Support

5400 Fleur Drive 1:00 p.m. Luncheon and Tour at the Iowa State Fair

Lunch at the Polk County Farm Bureau Picnic Pavilion 5:30 p.m. Iowa Department of Economic Development "Taste of Iowa Reception" and Greater Des Moines Partnership International Tradeshow at the Hotel Savery

Special Guest: United States Trade Representative Ambassador Robert Zoellick

401 Locust St.

DES MOINES

7:30 a.m. World Food Prize Breakfast at the Marriott Hotel

700 Grand Avenue BROOKLYN 10:30 a.m. Tour Lang Family Dairy Farm

1820 400th Avenue

CORALVILLE

12:30 p.m. Events at University of Iowa Oakdale Campus

Tour National Advanced Driving Simulator

2401 Oakdale Boulevard

or

Tour Center for Biocatalysis and Bioprocessing

2501 Crosspark Road, Suite C100

or

Lunch at Oakdale Hall

Old Hospital Road

WEST BRANCH

3:00 p.m. Tour Herbert Hoover Library at West Branch

210 Parkside Drive

BETTENDORF

6:00 p.m. Dinner and Tradeshow at Isle of Capri Conference Center

1777 Isle Parkway


Overnight with Bettendorf Host Families

MUSCATINE

8:30 a.m. Breakfast and Community Visit

Bandag Learning Center

2000 Bandag Drive

BURLINGTON

11:30 a.m. Lunch and Tradeshow at Best Western PZAZZ!

3001 Winegard Drive

FORT MADISON

2:00 p.m. Tour Sheaffer Pen Company

301 Avenue H

MOUNT PLEASANT

4:30 p.m. Tour Old Threshers Museum

405 E. Threshers Road


5:45 p.m. Tour Iowa Wesleyan College

601 N. Main


6:45 p.m. Dinner and Tradeshow at Mount Pleasant Community High School

307 E. Monroe


Overnight with Mount Pleasant Host Families

FAIRFIELD

8:15 a.m. Tradeshow at Best Western-Fairfield Inn

2200 W. Burlington

OTTUMWA

10:15 a.m. Tour Al-Jon Corporation

14500 2nd Avenue

OSKALOOSA

12:15 p.m. Lunch on Town Square in the Park

Tour World Food Park

Highway 23 South

EDDYVILLE

3:15 p.m. Tour Chamness Technology in Eddyville

24820 160th Street (Call 641/969-5702 for directions)

PELLA

6:00 p.m. Reception at Pella Window Store

301 Main


7:30 p.m. 50's and 60's Night on the Pella Square


Overnight with Pella Host Families

KNOXVILLE

8:15 a.m. Tour 3M Plant in Knoxville

3406 E. Pleasant Street

INDIANOLA

10:45 a.m. Lunch and Tour Summerset Winery

1507 Fairfax

DES MOINES

2:25 p.m. International Delegation Departs Signature Flight Support

5400 Fleur Drive

* Indicates the ambassador will attend. In other cases, countries will be represented by a trade commissioner or economic minister who is part of the diplomatic team in the country's embassy in Washington, D.C.