From the region’s cotton industry and Stahmann Farms Trawalla pecan farm which were both established by Americans, to local businessmen who sell US machinery and equipment and others who are looking to trade with the United States, the foreign diplomat found connections everywhere she went during her three-day trip to the district.

Ms Fowler came back through Moree from a visit to Lightning Ridge as part of her mission to visit as many rural towns in New South Wales and Queensland as possible.

“The idea is to listen and learn about the opportunities and challenges and issues and interests of the folks in rural NSW and to promote the highest unparallelled partnership and relationships between the US and Australia,” she said.

Her trip to Lightning Ridge and Moree is the furthest west she’s been so far and she’s loved it.

During her visit to Moree, Ms Fowler had dinner with Moree’s two Rotary clubs last Tuesday night and breakfast with mayor Katrina Humphries the following morning.

She also spent time around town and visited Moree Plains Gallery, however the focus of her time in Moree was spent learning about the shire’s biggest economy – agriculture.

This included a tour of Stahmann Farms Trawalla pecan farm which, Ms Fowler was quick to point out, was founded by American Deane Stahmann.

She then spent time touring Peter Glennie’s ‘Norwood’ property, just north of Moree, and learning about the region’s cotton innovation as part of a barbecue lunch organised by the Moree Chamber of Commerce.

In addition to local cotton producers, Ms Fowler, along with Country Consular Coordinator Linda Daetwyler, met with some of Moree’s “movers and shakers” including local businessmen who have ties to the US such as Kenway and Clark’s Peter Burey, who sells Case IH machinery which is manufactured in America.

“This trip just highlights all the ties between the US and Australia,” Ms Fowler said.

“The pecan farm was founded by an American, the cotton farming industry was brought over from the US and there are ties with manufacturers and personal history between our two countries.

“There 350,000 Australian employees in US companies, so it’s natural for our businesses to go back and forth – for Americans to want to come to Australia and invest and Australians to want to go to the US to expand.

“The US has an $860 billion economic investment in Australia compared to China’s $67 billion. There’s also 600 and some billion that Australia has invested in the US, so combined that’s $1.49 trillion of two-way economic investment.”

Moree Chamber of Commerce president Murray Hartin organised the barbecue along the Gwydir River as an opportunity for Ms Fowler and Ms Daetwyler to meet with a range of different locals.

“We were contacted by the US Consulate to say Valerie and Linda were doing a trip and coming through here and were interested in meeting with local business people and finding out about the culture and people in town,” he said.

“Agriculture is the biggest part of our economy, so we got some characters and movers and shakers from town and brought them to this wonderful venue where we’ve put on a barbecue by the river in a nice setting.

“We’ve got people like Peter Weal, Peter Burey, Jim Cush, Ross Munro, chamber members and Aboriginal elder Zona Moore.”

Moree Plains Shire Council’s economic development officer Mark Connolly also attended the barbecue and said Ms Fowler’s visit is a great opportunity for the region.

“In terms of economic trade investment, the US is one of our largest investors,” he said.

“The US is still our largest economic partner, so while we might be competitors in cotton and agricultural production, there’s a lot of sharing of research, information and ways of doing things.

“We’re keen to open up new opportunities.”