Trade Mission & Capitol Christmas Tree

I'm Lacy Gray with Washington Ag Today.

A delegation of more than 100 Washington business and education leaders are traveling throughout China this week on a trade mission promoting opportunities to grow and expand markets for Washington products and services in agriculture, as well as advanced manufacturing, information and communications technology, life sciences and clean energy technology. Governor Inslee and the delegation are currently in Shanghai where they are attending events promoting Washington pears and Almond Roca. WSDA Director Bud Hover says the Governor's presence at the Pear and Almond Roca promotional events will add to the success of the trip and their efforts to expand markets for Washington farmers and businesses.

Capitol Christmas Tree Coordinator Jennifer Knutson, with the U.S. Forest Service - Colville National Forest, says the "Peoples Tree", an 88 foot Engelmann Spruce from the Colville National Forest, chosen as this year's Capitol Christmas Tree in Washington, D.C., is making it's ceremonial victory lap around Washington state before heading to D.C..

KNUTSON: We've had wonderful support from the communities that are hosting the tree. We'll have mayors come out and greet us. We're bringing Smokey and Woodsy with us to meet the public and share their messages about fire prevention and taking care of the land.

Washingtonians have also made thousands of ornaments to decorate the tree.

KNUTSON: I hear there are a lot of fish. There's a lot of food based ones - lentils, and wheat, and all kinds of agriculture that our state produces.

The "Peoples Tree" will be delivered in Washington D.C. on November 25th. To follow the Capitol Christmas Tree's route to D.C. visit www.capitolchristmastree.com.

That's Washington Ag Today.

I'm Lacy Gray on the Ag Information Network.