On March 22, he started his trip to Iraq as an invitee of the Norman Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture at Texas A&M and guest of the Task Force to Improve Business and Stability Operations - Iraq. Commissioner Staples met with General Ray Odierno, the Commander of Multi-National Force – Iraq in Al Faw Palace.
Commissioner Staples also toured the Case-New Holland assembly plant in the Iskandariah Industrial Complex, northern Babil Province, Iraq. The plant manufactures tractors, greenhouse frames, irrigation systems, farm trailers and other farm implements.
One of the highlights of Commissioner Staples’ trip was meeting with Texas soldiers of the 413th Civil Affairs Battalion stationed in Iraq.
Between meetings, Commissioner Staples found time to say hello to some children in the International Zone of Baghdad.
Commissioner Staples also visited the Karbala Greenhouse Extension and talked with Iraqi agricultural experts.
Then on March 30, Commissioner Staples traveled with the non-profit Emanuel Agriculture Development Organization to Emanuel University in Oradea, Romania.
There, Commissioner Staples made a presentation to business students on how lucrative farming can be to both the producer and the economy.
While in Romania, he and his assistant, Cody McGregor, visited the Romanian Parliament Building in Bucharest. It is the second-largest office building in the world, after the Pentagon.
Commissioner Staples met with the Romanian Minister of Agriculture, senators and university and academia representatives.
He also met with officials at the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest, including officials from the U.S. Department of Commerce and USDA's Foreign Agriculture Service.
Watch a slideshow of Commissioner Staples travels to Iraq and Romania here:
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