Reflecting on Taiwan trip

What an extraordinary adventure and remarkable opportunity it was to represent District 30 and the State of South Dakota in Taiwan!
Our Midwest delegation consisted of 11 legislators from five states—Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and South Dakota. If you thought this trip was simply for fun, you would be wrong! From the moment we arrived, our schedules were filled nearly every hour with meetings with dignitaries and ministry staff, engaging in meaningful discussions about Taiwan-U.S. relations, trade cooperation, agriculture and regional exchanges.
The trip was sponsored by the Taiwanese government at no cost to South Dakota taxpayers or the State of South Dakota. Our visit included high-level meetings with representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture, the International Trade Administration, and the American State Offices Association, among others.
Of course, our official meetings were balanced with opportunities to experience Taiwan’s culture firsthand—including a cooking class where we learned about their traditions surrounding food and cooking.
By the way, I am now a certified Taiwanese chef! I personally think Robert F. Kennedy should take The Real Food Cooking Show to Taiwan! They have already been eating “clean” for decades.
You might be wondering why Taiwan would extend an invitation to a group of Midwestern legislators from the United States.
One reason is Taiwan’s significant reliance on imported food. During my conversation with Taiwan’s ambassador last month in Wall, he explained that because the island has limited land available for agriculture, Taiwan has made a conscious decision to dedicate much of its land to industrial and economic development while importing 70 percent of its food needs from other nations.
Our meeting with the Minister of Agriculture focused less on simply asking for more beef or soybeans and more on understanding the role that American agriculture plays in supplying Taiwan’s food needs. 
We also learned about Taiwan’s agricultural system. The average farm is quite small, often between zero and seven acres. To support these small and micro farms, the government has developed programs to encourage young people to enter agriculture and has established farmers’ associations that allow farmers to share equipment and resources.
Taiwan also recognizes the challenges created by an aging farm population. One program allows an older farmer to “lend” their land to a younger farmer while retaining their occupation insurance. This provides an opportunity for younger farmers to continue agricultural production while allowing older farmers to remain connected to their land and maintain important benefits.
Taiwan is also taking proactive steps to slow the conversion of farmland to development. Land must be used according to its designated use and location, with safeguards in place to help preserve agricultural land for farming.
I was impressed by how proactive these policies are. Taiwan is clearly looking ahead and working to ensure that farmland remains available for agriculture while creating opportunities for the next generation of farmers.
We also had the opportunity to tour a semiconductor and chip manufacturing facility.
I was particularly inspired by the number of young people who are enthusiastic about their careers and hopeful about the future. Well-paying jobs in the technology sector are providing opportunities for a new generation, and the enthusiasm and optimism we witnessed were remarkable.
It also became clear to me how strongly the people of Taiwan value their freedom and how eager they are to communicate to the world the importance they place on preserving that freedom.
There is so much more to share!
Over the coming weeks, I’ll be compiling more details about what I learned during the delegation’s visit to Taiwan. I look forward to sharing a more detailed account of the ministries we visited, the information shared with us, and photos from our experiences.
Thank you, as always, for the opportunity to serve you and to be your voice in Pierre, and now, 
Zài jiàn… Until we meet again!