MEDIA CONTACT: Leslie Einhaus, University Communications and Marketing, (208) 885-6489 or lesliee@uidaho.edu.

Open communication is the key to marketing agricultural products worldwide, according to a panel of experts at the University of Idaho Friday afternoon. The panel met to discuss "Idaho Agriculture in the Global Economy" as part of UI College of Agriculture’s Ag Days festivities held at the Moscow campus last week.

"Idaho must increase trade around the world," said Larry Branen, UI dean of agriculture. "It has truly become a global economy."

The state exports three-fourths of its agricultural products overseas.

Students, professors, politicians and citizens turned out for Friday’s forum in the College of Law Auditorium. The event was sponsored by UI’s Agriculture Student Affairs Council.

Idaho Lt. Gov. C.L. (Butch) Otter said building personal relationships with trade representatives in foreign markets is important and necessary to agriculture trading.

"It’s easier to bring up problems among friends than strangers," said Laura Johnson, marketing manager at the Idaho State Department of Agriculture. Johnson has led sales missions and conducted promotions around the globe, including Hong Kong, Chile, Brazil and Taiwan.

Agriculture has its share of barriers, such as high duties and tariffs, hindering successful trade. Some of these issues will be addressed at the World Trade Organization meeting scheduled Nov. 30 through Dec. 3 in Seattle. "Agriculture still has tremendous hurdles to overcome," she said.

Idaho is examining ways to increase worldwide trading in what is becoming an ever-increasing global economy. Globalization is not going away, said James Hunglemann of the J.R. Simplot Company. In fact, it’s accelerating at a rapid pace. "It is our duty to expand and open markets," he said.

Joe Guenthner, a professor of agricultural economics, examined global potato markets. In Germany, it’s called "kartoffel." In France, they prefer, "pomme de terre." In the global marketplace, potatoes are becoming a necessary product of trade, especially with the rise of fast food dining in the Far East during the past decade.

In 1991, the first McDonald’s restaurant opened its doors in Mainland China. Just seven years later, at least 220 exist there. The need for Idaho potatoes is in great demand as fast food restaurants multiply worldwide, according to Guenthner. That’s a trend likely to continue into the future, he said. "Asia and McDonald’s will fuel growth in Idaho’s potato industry."