U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines is returning from a successful trip to India where he met with India’s top trade official, Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal, and Indian pulse crop buyers to improve market access for Montana farmers and promote Montana pulse crops. Daines’ visit comes ahead of the U.S.-India Trade Policy Forum later this month, in which Daines urged Montana ag priorities be front and center during the discussion.
“We must level the playing field and increase access to the Indian market for Montana’s pulse crop farmers. Developing these relationships with India’s top trade officials and India’s pulse crop importers will go a long way towards ensuring Montana ag is at the top of the discussion during the trade forum later this month and helping remove the tariffs and trade barriers Montana farmers currently face,” Daines said.
During his trip, Daines met with Minister Goyal where the two discussed removing trade barriers and increasing access for Montana pulse producers. Daines brought along Lentil Crunchers from Farver Farms in Scobey, Mont., to share with Goyal.
Download photos from the trip HERE and a highlight video HERE.
During this meeting, Daines hand delivered letters from the Montana Farm Bureau Federation, the Montana Grain Growers Association, and the USA Dry Pea & Lentil Council to Goyal, urging the removal of tariffs and barriers to trade on Montana pulse crops.
Daines then visited the Naya Bazaar in Old Delhi and met with some of India’s pulse crop importers. He shared more Lentil Crunchers from Farver Farms as a representation of the quality crops Montana farmers have to offer.
During the trip, Daines also visited with leaders and students from the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi and toured some of their labs. Daines discussed the need for American and Indian tech and innovation sectors to find areas of collaboration to counter China’s influence.
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Contact: Katherine McKeogh, Katie Schoettler