I'M KIM JOHNSON.

I'M ALI LUCIA.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

MINNESOTA HAS FORCED A

MULTIBILLION DOLLAR PARTNERSHIP

WITH TAIWAN.

TAIWAN TRADE OFFICIALS AND

BUSINESS LEADERS SIGNED

AGREEMENT LEADERS TODAY TO BUY

AGRICULTURAL AGREEMENTS FROM

MINNESOTA FARMERS.

ASHLEY ROBERTS JOINS US NOW

LIVE FROM THE STATE CAPITAL

WITH MORE ON WHAT THIS DEAL

MEANS.

ASHLEY?

Reporter: KIM, THE DEAL

ANNOUNCED THIS MORNING MEANS

TAIWAN WILL SPEND $2.4 BILLION

ON MINNESOTA-GROWN CORN AND

SOYBEANS FOR THE NEXT TWO

YEARS.

TAIWAN IS MINNESOTA'S SIXTH

LARGEST EXPORT MARKET AND ALSO

A VITAL PARTNER FOR THE STATE'S

CORN AND SOYBEAN FARMERS.

THE AGREEMENT FOR 2016 AND 2017

ALSO INCLUDES AGRICULTURAL

PRODUCTS FROM OTHER MID WHEN

WESTERN STATES AND MINNESOTA

PRODUCES THE HIGHEST QUALITY

CORN AND SOYBEANS AROUND THE

WORLD.

AND GOVERNOR DAYTON ADDS DEALS

LIKE THIS ARE CRUCIAL TO MAKE

SURE FARMERS CAN SELL THEIR

PRODUCTS GLOBALLY.

THE CROPS THIS YEAR, THE

CORN IS UP OVER MY STANDING

HEAD.

AND THE SOYBEANS LOOK

FANTASTIC.

SO WE HAVE RECORD PRODUCTION.

VERY LOSE TO IT.

AND OF COURSE, WE ARE LOOKING

TO EXPAND OUR EXPORT MARKETS.

THE MAJOR REASON WHY MINNESOTA

WAS ABLE TO PERSIST THROUGH THE

RECESSION BECAUSE OF THE

STRENGTH OF OUR AGRICULTURAL

ECONOMY AND EXPORTS ARE A KEY

ELEMENT TO THAT.

ALMOST THREE YEARS AGO,

MINNESOTA'S AGRICULTURAL

COMMISSIONER VISITED TAIWAN AND

EXTENDED A PERSONAL INVITATION

FOR TRADE OFFICIALS TO COME

HERE AND INK THIS AGREEMENT.

THAT HAPPENED THIS MORNING.

BY THE WAY, THE UNITED STATES

SUPPLIED ONE-FOURTH OF TAIWAN'S

TOTAL FOOD EXPORTS, SO A PRETTY

BIG DEAL TO HAVE THIS AGREEMENT

IN PLACE HERE TODAY.

YES.

A BIG DEAL FOR FARMERS, AND FOR