133 



Mr. Penny. I believe it was your testimony where you talked 

 about the Southeast Asians becoming — I don't know if they are con- 

 noisseurs, maybe more colloquially, snack food junkies. Is this real- 

 ly a trend that is heavily underway? 



Mr. Walker. Apparently so. I think snack foods and ready-to-eat 

 foods, easy-to-prepare foods based on the information that is com- 

 ing from that region, from ag attaches and others from trade 

 shows, apparently there is a growing demand for such products 

 there. If you look at the East Asia market, in these growing com- 

 munities, you are talking about potentially 1 billion consumers. 



Mr. Penny. You also spoke of the tremendous demand within the 

 former Soviet Republics for off-the-shelf sorts of food items and a 

 willingness to pay a premium for those sorts of products. 



Mr. Walker. Yes, sir; Mr. Chairman. 



Mr. Penny. What do we do to break the European monopoly in 

 that regard? 



Mr. Walker. Again, I think we have to have a greater presence 

 there on the trade side with folks from FAS who are trying to iden- 

 tify the opportunities and channels through which these products 

 move. Who are the buyers and who are the markets? Where are 

 the markets? 



If you look at the recent FAS report from the Soviet Union — the 

 former Soviet Union, in Moscow, there are increasing American 

 food products on the shelves from — I have a list of them here — from 

 Tysons frozen dinners to chicken pot pies and ice cream and Plant- 

 er's peanut butter and so on. But by and large, shelf space is domi- 

 nated by European products from the European Community. 



Mr. Penny. Last, any examples of nonfood, nonfeed products that 

 are peculiar to the farm community in Maryland, in other words? 



Mr. Walker. Again, I appreciate very much, Mr. O'Connell's 

 comments this morning. I am not familiar with any such products 

 from Maryland being exported abroad. 



Mr. O'CONNELL. I don't think so. 



Mr. Walker. I think this linkage between the research he is 

 doing and the products he is developing — and FAS is extremely im- 

 portant — it can help enhance our overseas posture in terms of 

 those markets. 



Mr. Penny. I have concluded with my questions of this panel. I 

 will ask Mr. Horn in he has any questions he would like to ask. 



Mr. Horn. I will pass, Mr. Chairman. 



Mr. Penny. With that, we thank you for your testimony and, in 

 addition to Mr. Condit, there may be other members who want to 

 submit written questions. We would appreciate those responses. 



Thank you. Bob. Thank you, Paul. 



Mr. Walker. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



Mr. Penny. Our next panel includes Mr. Philip Seng, president/ 

 CEO, U.S. Meat Export Federation; Paul Webster, president/CEO 

 of Webster Industries, on behalf of the American Forest and Paper 

 Association; and Ms. Sharon Colon, vice president, area manager 

 for United States and Canada CoBank. 



You are free to summarize your testimony as you wish. Your en- 

 tire written testimony will be included in the record. 



Please proceed. 



