By Clover Chang, U.S. Grains Council Director in Taiwan

The U.S. Grains Council along with the China Grain Products Research and Development Institute (CGPRDI), U.S. Wheat Associates (USW), and Taiwan Barley Products Industry Association (TBPIA) held a media conference about the results of the Barley/Wheat Food Product Contest in Taipei, Taiwan. In attendance were 24 journalists, from daily newspapers, radio stations, magazines, and online news agencies, and the Director of Agricultural Affair Section at the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), Mr. Jeffrey Hesse.

The Barley/Wheat Food Product Contest, conducted in July, had participants come up with original recipes using wheat and barley. At the conference, the winners of the contest introduced their dishes and had a sample on display. CGPRDI also distributed a brochure with the photos and recipes of the contest winner’s creations, so those in attendance could recreate these dishes on their own.

By promoting the results of the contest, the Council is generating more interest from Taiwanese food companies in incorporating more barley into their food. The Council is also educating the public about the benefits of eating barley. The Council is committed to ensuring Taiwan continues to be one of the top importers of U.S. Barley and will continue to educate Taiwan on barley’s many uses.