Last year the North Dakota Trade Office took implement manufactures and dealers overseas to promote their products to an interested Russian market. This year, Big Iron Farm Show will be host to several international buyers looking for American-made agricultural equipment.
"The International Visitors Program is another tool to bring in high-quality buyers from high-demand markets," said Jeff Zent of the North Dakota Trade Office.
The North Dakota Trade Office, together with Big Iron Farm Show organizers and the U.S. Commercial Service will bring more than 100 potential buyers to North Dakota.
The goal of the program is to build relationships and give the buyers a chance to view the vast selection of North Dakota equipment and manufactures.
Represented at the event will be equipment distributors and farm managers from Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and the Republic of Georgia. They will have a chance to walk the aisles and kick tires at Big Iron just as American farmers do.
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North Dakota and the visiting countries are an ideal fit because they have similar soil types, crops, such as sugar beets and wheat, and cool weather conditions.
"They're in dire need of agriculture equipment," Zent said. "The farms are becoming larger and larger and I regularly hear, 'We prefer American equipment.'"
Although the featured countries have some domestic manufacturers, their desire for American machinery falls back to product reliability, Zent said.
To give buyers a well-rounded feel, a wide array of equipment will be showcased, including trucks, tractors, combines and tillage equipment.
The international guests will be spending the bulk of their time viewing equipment and talking to manufactures and dealers, but they will also tour the Case New Holland plant in Fargo.||?Page=005 Column=004 Loose,0012.02?||
