(NAFB.com) – U.S. Wheat Associates joined a successful USDA trade mission to Japan in early October. The trip was led by Luke Lindberg, USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs. The mission provided USW president and CEO Mike Spier and USW Chairman Jim Pellman of North Dakota with an additional opportunity to reaffirm the enduring partnership between U.S. wheat farmers and Japan’s government and milling and baking industries. “Japan has been a consistent customer of U.S. wheat from before USW was even officially formed as an organization,” Spier said. “We appreciate the opportunity to showcase our long-term success in this market with Under Secretary Lindberg.” He also said these missions strengthen cooperation and communication between the two nations, maintaining U.S. access to this mature, quality-conscious, and steady buyer. Meetings with Japanese customers included topics like policy, sanitary and phytosanitary regulations, advancements in wheat breeding technologies, and U.S. trade promotion efforts.