In this Issue:
The Michigan
Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is now accepting applications
for The 2017 “Ag Exporter of the Year” award. Applications are due by 5:00 p.m. Friday, March 17, 2017. Click here to learn more and apply!
 Each year, MDARD recognizes an outstanding Michigan food and agriculture company for its efforts to increase exports of Michigan food and agriculture products.
In
addition to receiving public recognition around the state, awardees also enjoy
a level of regard and trust among international buyers.
The winner of the award is selected by export industry representatives based on export
growth, innovation, and the pursuit of new export markets.
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 The 2016 Michigan Agriculture Exporter of the Year honor went to Bayside Best Beans of Sebewaing, MI. Bayside Best Beans achieved an impressive growth in export sales from 2013 to 2014, with more than 50 percent of their sales coming from exports.
Previous winners include Star of the West Milling, Continental Dairy, Connor Sports, Graceland Fruit, Cherry Central, Zeeland Farm Service, Walters Gardens, Honee Bear Canning, and Cooperative Elevator Company.
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Companies of all sizes are
encouraged to apply. Eligibility is limited to Michigan food and agriculture
producers, manufacturers, or shippers of good reputation and good standing in
the business community that are aggressively pursuing international markets and
increasing export sales. Products must be at least 50 percent grown, processed,
or manufactured in Michigan.
For more information, contact Jamie Zmitko-Somers at 517-284-5738 or zmitkoj@michigan.gov.
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The International Marketing Program will host a
Michigan Pavilion at the 2017 United FreshMKT Expo for the first time! United
FreshMKT will take place June 13-15, 2017, at McCormick Place in Chicago, IL. |
United Fresh 2017 is a
world-renowned trade expo that combines the FreshMKT Expo, FreshTEC Expo, the
International Floriculture Expo, and the Global Cold Chain Expo in one space.
The Michigan Pavilion at the FreshMKT Expo is the perfect place for Michigan businesses
involved in fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as floral and food retail
industries. The expo will bring together experts from the fresh foods chain,
including distributors, wholesalers, suppliers, food-service operators, and new
channel buyers.
New features available at FreshMKT in 2017 include exhibits focusing on meal
preps, fresh juices, dips and salsas, and healthy snack items, and an organic produce showcase. Also new in 2017 is
the FreshMKT Conference, geared towards anyone looking to jump start their
business models and programs with innovative ideas!
For more information on United FreshMKT Expo, click here.
Price and Booth Information
For additional information and to reserve a
space, contact International Marketing Program Manager Jamie Zmitko-Somers
at zmitkoj@michigan.gov or 517-284-5738.
Healthy Dogma, located in Orion, Michigan, in
the 8th Congressional
District, participated in Food Export’s Pet Food Buyers Mission at the Global
Pet Expo in March 2016, an
event that the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development’s
International Marketing Program assisted with coordinating. In
preparation for the Buyers Mission, the International Marketing Program provided
assistance to Healthy Dogma on a variety of export topics, including label
modifications, export documentation, and market opportunities for pet food.
 During the one-on-one
meetings, Mary Beth Darby, Owner of Healthy Dogma, met with a buyer from Panama
and was able to make a sale worth $10,600 with hopes for many future
sales. According to Mary Beth, “The people from Panama have been
wonderful to deal with; we feel that this is a great contact and are hoping for
a continued relationship into the future.”
To learn more about Healthy Dogma's success, click here.
From 2013 to 2014, the amount of exports from Michigan to
the United Arab Emirates (UAE) more than doubled to a total of $5.11 million
dollars, and sales have stayed consistent ever since. Due largely to tourism in
the bustling, globalized city of Dubai, as well as the increasing per capita
GDP of $49,000 in 2014, the UAE is becoming a valuable market to invest in,
according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural
Service GAIN Report. Increases in population and tourism, paired with a lack of
arable land in the UAE, has caused a spike in the imports of agricultural
commodities.
In 2015, Michigan alone exported approximately $4.9
million dollars of agricultural goods to the UAE, and it is anticipated to
increase to over $5.5 million dollars in 2016. Most of the goods sold to the
UAE from Michigan in 2015 were cereal and flour based products; mixes and doughs comprised a vast majority of this
group in valued sales. Dairy products, especially fresh cheese, are also a major export to the country. These dairy products, combined
with the cereal/flour goods, composed about 90 percent of total agricultural
commodities exported from Michigan to the UAE in 2015.
Gulfood is a major food show held annually in Dubai. Celebrating its 22nd edition in 2017, Gulfood welcomed 95,000 visitors and 5,000 exhibitors from February 26 to March 2. At the show, MDARD hosted a Michigan Specialty Crops booth as a part of the USA Pavilion, which featured the Cherry Marketing Institute. The Michigan Specialty Crops booth generated more than 75 trade leads from international buyers interested in sourcing Michigan food and agriculture products.
Companies
interested in entering the UAE market are encouraged to contact the
International Marketing Program for more information and assistance.
(Source: USDA FAS GAIN Report, United Arab
Emirates; Euromonitor)
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The International Marketing Program would like to welcome Michigan's new Food Export Midwest Liaison, Paul Sorenson.
Paul is a Wisconsin native who graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in agriculture and applied economics and a certificate in development economics. Prior to his work with Food Export, he worked with a non-profit to educate international dairy farmers and promote agricultural trade. Paul will be working with the International Marketing Program to assist companies in registering for the programs offered by Food Export Midwest.
Welcome aboard, Paul!
To contact Paul, email or call:
psorenson@foodexport.org
312-334-9217
Focused Trade Mission to Mexico for Retail and Food Service Products
June 6-9 I Mexico City and Monterrey, Mexico
Reg. ends March 14
Food Service Buyers Mission at the National Restaurant Association Show 2017
May 20-22 I Chicago, Illinois
Reg. ends April 10
Sweets and Snacks Buyers Mission at the 2017 Sweets and Snacks Expo
May 22-24 I Chicago, Illinois
Reg. ends April 10
Focused Trade Mission to Toronto for Specialty and Natural Product
Sept. 6-7 I Toronto, Canada
Reg. ends June 14
 Jamie Zmitko-Somers
zmitkoj@michigan.gov
517-284-5738
Allie Fox VanDriel
foxa1@michigan.gov
517-284-5737
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