Are you
interested in meeting international buyers at the National Restaurant
Association (NRA) Show in Chicago, the largest foodservice and hospitality
trade show in the Western Hemisphere? The Foodservice Buyers’ Mission is
scheduled for May 17-20, 2014 in Chicago, IL. As international demand for US
products increases, buyers continue to seek the latest in food and beverage
trends. Meet one on one with buyers to develop and expand your business
overseas.
Learn more
about the buyers here. Confirmed
buyers include Canada, China, Costa Rica, Guatemala, South Korea, Mexico,
Taiwan & Thailand. Buyers are interested in a variety of products such as: bakery
products, sauces, dressings, condiments, pasta, soup, chocolate, cocoa, egg products, concentrates, snack bars, dairy products,
alcoholic beverages, and much more.
Click here for more information
and to register.
Early Registration Deadline: 03/14/14 ($100 - save
$50!)
Final
Registration Deadline: April 4, 2014 ($150)
The
International Marketing Program at the Michigan Department of Agriculture &
Rural Development (MDARD) is seeking company input for program development and
your input is needed to make the program even more beneficial to your company!
Below
you’ll find a link for a brief survey reviewing current programs and activities
from the International Marketing Program. Your thoughts on how to improve will be used
going forward in planning future activities.
Please,
take a few minutes and answer the questions, when you are finished, simply
click ‘done’. You may choose to submit the survey anonymously; however, knowing
your company’s needs provides greater opportunity for assistance.
Once
again, your feedback and input is greatly appreciated! If you have any
questions or comments, please contact Jamie Zmitko-Somers at zmitkoj@michigan.gov or call (517)-284-5738.
Survey location: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2014EXPORT
LiveSmart
Bar located in Oak Park, Michigan, of the 12th Congressional District is
optimistic about their future in exporting thanks to the Branded Program.
According
to Sandy Kaplan, Communications Account Executive, this small, Michigan company
now has the ability to attend tradeshows and meet key contacts, including
distributors, with a wealth of exporting knowledge. Each of these successes has
been made possible, in part, due to Food Export programs and services,
supported by the Market Access Program (MAP).
“It
is the little companies that need both the financial and experienced help on
how to connect the dots to make their companies viable and prosperous. The
valuable information learned from the program has enabled us to try to export
our products and we need to thank the Branded Program for their continued
support,” says Kaplan.
The
company is currently completing literature and label modifications to meet the
importing regulations for Canada. The company expects to begin their exports
into the market in mid-2014.
Live
Smart is a manufacturer and marketer of vegan, non-GMO, and gluten-free health
food bars. Their plan has consistently been to market LiveSmart Bars with the
dream of exporting them around the world.
Food
Export–Midwest and Food Export–Northeast are private, non-profit associations
of Midwestern and Northeastern state agricultural promotion agencies that use
federal, state, and industry resources to promote the export of Midwestern and
Northeastern food and agricultural products. Food Export–Midwest and Food
Export–Northeast administer many services through Market Access Program (MAP)
funding from the USDA, Foreign Agricultural Service.
For
more information on Food Export-Midwest and Food
Export-Northeast’s 50 percent cost-share Branded Program, please visit
www.foodexport.org.
Since the
North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), US agriculture exports have
quadrupled. Mexico eliminated duties on virtually all U.S. and agricultural and
food products through NAFTA. Mexico
was Michigan’s second largest export market in 2012 at over $77.3 million in
exports. Dried beans are by far Michigan’s biggest agricultural export to
Mexico at over $30 million making Mexico the largest and most important export
market for the Michigan dry bean industry.
Mexico is experiencing
a middle income population growth as well as increase of the work force, and is
becoming more urbanized (projected at 83% in 2030). Today, 50% of the
population is under 25 years old.
Recent
trends prove consumers are looking for natural and healthy products. According
to the Food Export Association’s In-Market
Representative, Mexican food manufacturers are
reformulating to offer better nutritional qualities of their products.
Interestingly, hotel and restaurant chefs accept and require quality and
consistent imported foods. Mexico’s “preparation from scratch” will remain, but
chefs will continue growing their acceptance to modernize the segment.
Upcoming Events:
- Focused Trade Mission to Mexico for Technical
Food Ingredients: July 8-10
in Mexico City, Mexico
- Focused Trade Mission to Mexico for Snack
Food: July 30-Aug. 3 in Mexico City
and Guadalajara, Mexico
Guest Column: We are excited to continue our series of guest columns offering further insight into the world of international trade.
Jean Schtokal is a business attorney with Foster Swift Collins & Smith PC.
Why export? 95% of the world's population is located
outside the U.S. – that’s a lot of mouths to feed!
Before tapping these new markets, there
are a number of issues to consider as exporting is a complex business. Here are
some essentials to export success:
Understand
Import Regulations and Requirements. U.S. exporters
must determine whether their product meets import requirements, certifications
and standards. Examples of this include
whether certain pesticide use, additives, labeling and packaging are required
to ship goods to a particular foreign country and customer. Added requirements may affect pricing. Know before you go!
Pick
the Right Partner.
Do your due diligence on trading partners. Develop and complete a questionnaire
for each trading partner inquiry. Conduct
background checks, check the U.S. Department of Commerce’s www.export.gov website
and review the Consolidated Screening List. If a person or entity you wish to
do business with appears on the list, seek assistance from legal counsel before
moving forward. You should also know
about U.S. sanctions and embargos regarding international trade. See www.trade.gov.
Protect
your name and logo. If your brand has goodwill associated with it,
your first step in selling in a foreign market should be registering your name
and logo in that country. If you have a
US trademark registration there may be a simplified process. Check with your
legal counsel.
Understand
Contractual Rights.
Just because your contract says U.S. law applies does not mean it will. It's
important to understand what foreign laws may apply and how they may impact
your transactions. This means that you should seek assistance from legal
counsel experienced in international trade to make sure you are protected.
Understand
Tax Implications.
International trade requires careful tax planning. Certain transactions may
result in additional U.S. tax filings. It's a good practice to consult with an
experienced CPA when doing business overseas.
Hope
for the Best, and Plan for the Worst. Having well-drafted contracts help, but when
disputes arise call your attorney.
Often, negotiation is a good first step. Most experts agree that,
generally speaking, a contractual provision directing arbitration in the U.S.
as a method of dispute resolution is preferable to court action in the U.S.
depending on the foreign country in question and the factual circumstances.
The best way to ensure
protection for your business and compliance with applicable trade laws is to work
proactively with an experienced attorney to develop sound processes and best
practices with respect to your export transactions as well as spot potential
issues and address these proactively.
For more info visit: http://www.fosterswift.com/services-International-Business-Trade-Law.html
Jean Schtokal is a business attorney
with Foster Swift Collins & Smith PC. She has extensive knowledge of legal
issues associated with exporting including agricultural products.
She is the chairperson of the Michigan District Export Council-West; a member
of the Advisory Board of the Center for International Business Education and
Research at Michigan State University, and serves as Co-Chair of the Global
Business Club of Mid-Michigan. Jean has been named in Best Lawyers® in
America since 2012 for International Trade and Finance Law.
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Over twenty Michigan companies attended the
Michigan Department of Agricultural and Rural Development's (MDARD) International
Marketing Program and the Mid-Michigan Global Business Club’s export seminar. Positive learning and networking experience was had by all.
Held at the Michigan State University Henry
Center on February 19th, the seminar focused on legal considerations
as well as credit insurance, incoterms, Ex-Im Bank, and Letters of Credit.
Speakers included: Jean Schtokal, of Foster Swift, Collins & Smith PC, who educated
attendees on due diligence and effective contracts; Jade Sims, illustrated
exporting examples through a case study; and Bill Richeson of First Merit Bank,
who covered how to “get paid.”
Attendees had the pleasure of hearing from Rob Grom, from Connor Sports
Flooring, the 2013 Michigan Ag Exporter of the Year. Rob shared some of the company’s experiences and advice on exporting during an excellent keynote
luncheon speech.
Overall, attendees reported that the presentations were insightful and helpful. When asked what was most interesting about the seminar, one participant replied, "distributor contractual tips & strategies from Connor about their successes". Another response was, "I enjoyed the banking presentation. Getting paid by foreign customers is our biggest concern".
For more
export education materials, check out the Food Export Association’s Webinars & Seminars as well as Export Essentials Online!
Pictured above: Rob Grom from Connor Sports talks about their export journey.
Foodservice Buyers Mission at the
NRA Show
May 17-20, 2014
Chicago, IL
CLICK HERE
Sweets and Snacks Buyers Mission
at the Sweets and Snacks Show
May 19-21, 2014
Chicago, IL
CLICK HERE
Food and Beverage Buyers Mission
at the FMI Connect Show
June 10-11, 2014
Chicago, IL
CLICK HERE
Food Show
PLUS!™ at SIAL Brazil
June 24-28,
2014
Sao Paulo,
Brazil
CLICK
HERE
Focused
Trade Mission to Hong Kong for Food Service Products
June 3-4, 2014
Hong Kong
CLICK HERE
Focused
Trade Mission to Vietnam for Retail and Food Service Products
June 6-7,
2014
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
CLICK HERE
Focused Trade Mission to Mexico
for Technical Food Ingredients
July 8-10, 2014
Mexico City and Guadalajara,
Mexico
CLICK HERE
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for valuable insider information about upcoming events, services, export trends, links, and news.
www.twitter.com/MIAgExport
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