News and Events from the U.S. Commercial Service in Fargo, ND

 

 

World Trade News and Events - October 2015
Newsletter of the U.S. Commercial Service in Fargo, North Dakota

LOCAL NEWS AND EVENTS
- Megan Klosterman Joins U.S. Commercial Service / North Dakota
- Large North Dakota delegation heading to Agritechnica 2015
- December Trade Talk: U.S. Export Controls and Sanctions Update
- USTDA Healthcare Reverse Trade Mission Business Briefing in Minneapolis 
- North Dakota Trade Mission to Israel

NATIONAL / INTERNATIONAL NEWS
- Efforts Made to Ease Trade with Cuba
- Agreement Reached on Trans-Pacific Partnership
- House Votes to Lift Crude Oil Export Ban
- Country Commercial Guides Now Easily Accessible
- Department of Commerce and PayPal Team Up to Increase U.S. Exports
- Brazil’s Scientific Mobility Program Suspended
- USA Trade Online is Now Free

NATIONAL / INTERNATIONAL EVENTS
- Oil and Gas Equipment and Services Catalog Show - November 9-12 in United Arab Emirates
- Expo Agrialimentaria - November 24-27 in Irapuato, Mexico
- Singapore Airshow 2016 - February 16-18 in Singapore
- Central European Education Fairs - April 18-22 in Czech Republic, Poland, and Hungary
- Hannover Messe - USA To Ramp Up Presence at World's Largest Industrial Fair - April 25-29 in  Hannover, Germany
- Save the Date: SelectUSA Investment Summit - June 19-21 in Washington, D.C.

WEBINARS
- Aerospace Industry in Asia-Pacific Webinar - November 3
- Virtual Education Fair with Mexico - November 18

LOCAL NEWS AND EVENTS

Megan Klosterman Joins U.S. Commercial Service / North Dakota
Megan Klosterman has joined the U.S. Commercial Service in October. Megan is an undergraduate student pursuing her Bachelor's Degree in Agricultural Economics at North Dakota State University. Megan joins the U.S. Commercial Service as an intern in partnership with the North Dakota District Export Council with sponsorship from the North Dakota Trade Office Export Assistant Program.

Large North Dakota Delegation Heading to Agritechnica 2015
Six out of nineteen participants in the USA Pavilion at Agritechnica 2015 are from North Dakota, continuing a strong ND presence at the world's largest agricultural trade show. The companies include Grouser Products, RDO Equipment, Summers Manufacturing, Superior Manufacturing, Titan Machinery and WCCO Belting. The USA Pavilion is being organized by the U.S. Commercial Service, with a large physical presence at the show, in addition to interpreters, on-show support, hospitality services, market research, a hard copy catalog, the Show Intel program and outreach assistance. For more information on the USA Pavilion at Agritechnica, or to inquire about participating in this or other international ag shows contact Heather.Ranck@trade.gov. 

December Trade Talk: U.S. Export Controls and Sanctions Update
Date: December 9
Time: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Location: NDTO Conference Room, 2nd Floor Schollander Pavilion
Red River Valley Fairgrounds, 1805 West Main Avenue, West Fargo, ND
Cost: $100 for NDTO Members, $150 for non-members
Registration deadline: December 4
Join for an in-depth update on U.S. Export Controls and Sanctions. Doug Jacobson, an experienced international trade attorney based in Washington, D.C., will provide attendees with practical, timely, and useful information on the scope of the changes to U.S. export controls and sanction laws and regulations. Learn more and register now!

USTDA Healthcare Reverse Trade Mission Business Briefing in Minneapolis
Date: November 13
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Cost: $50
The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) is hosting the Nigeria and Kenya Healthcare Technologies Reverse Trade Mission (RTM), which will connect U.S. healthcare equipment suppliers and service providers to key decision makers in Nigeria and Kenya. The business briefing will provide market information and help develop public-private partnerships supporting improved healthcare systems in these emerging markets. U.S. businesses are invited to attend the full-day briefing to learn about current capabilities and anticipated needs in these countries. Learn more and register now.

North Dakota Trade Mission to Israel
Companies interested in participating in a North Dakota Trade Mission to Israel scheduled for January 2016 can contact Heather.Ranck@trade.gov to sign up for a Gold Key Service (in-country matchmaking). The Trade Mission is being organized with the participation of the North Dakota Trade Office, the U.S. Commercial Service and Foreign Ag Service.
The deadline to apply is November 3.

NATIONAL / INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Efforts Made to Ease Trade with Cuba
In September, Cuban President Raul Castro met with President Obama at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, the first meeting of the leaders of the two countries since the Cuban Revolution. Read more about the meeting. Senator Heidi Heitkamp, who has worked to expand exports of U.S. agricultural commodities to Cuba, also recently met with President Castro in an effort to loosen trade. These meetings occurred after the Department of Commerce and the Department of the Treasury announced additional revisions to the Cuban Assets Control Regulations and Export Administration Regulations. The changes, which took effect September 21, are expected to lead to a more open relationship with Cuba, which could create economic opportunities for people of both countries.

Agreement Reached on Trans-Pacific Partnership
After rounds of negotiations and several days of debating in Atlanta, trade ministers and other officials from 12 countries have reached agreement on the Trans-Pacific Partnership. For the US, the partnership opens agricultural markets in Japan and Canada and tightens intellectual property rules. It also offers improved access to 11 Pacific Rim markets that collectively represent 40% of the global GDP. Although the Commercial Service already has a strong presence in all 11 TPP partner markets, this will further connect U.S. businesses to TPP partner markets and help secure important connections with distributors, manufacturers, and other potential partners. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker released a statement saying, “[The agreement] will strengthen the hand of American workers and ensure that our businesses can compete on a level playing field in some of the world’s most significant markets.” The TPP is expected to face a tough battle in Congress. Learn more about the agreement.

House Votes to Lift Crude Oil Export Ban
Congressman Kevin Cramer, an original co-sponsor for the bill, was part of a bipartisan majority of the U.S. House of Representatives that passed legislation to repeal the 40-year old ban on the export of crude oil. Senator Heidi Heitkamp, who wrote the bill with Senator Lisa Murkowski of Arkansas, said that the arguments for lifting the ban make the case for themselves. Heitkamp stated that maintaining the ban "weakens our ability to strengthen our economy, blocks our producers from competing equally in the global market - keeping our ability to control gas prices out of reach - and withholds a key diplomatic tool that can help our allies and boost our soft power options abroad." Senator John Hoeven, who has also been working to lift the ban, recently issued a statement expressing approval of crude oil exports because “it will create good-paying jobs for our citizens, enhance domestic production and help grow our economy.”

Country Commercial Guides Now Easily Accessible
The Country Commercial Guides (CCGs) for 126 countries are now easily accessible all in one place. Although they cannot replace the benefits of one-on-one counseling and regular reporting, the CCG is a useful starting point for businesses pursuing overseas export and investment opportunities.

Department of Commerce and PayPal Team Up to Improve U.S. Exports
It’s often unclear for American businesses to know where to start exporting or how to expand existing exports. To help answer these questions, the U.S. Department of Commerce is teaming up with PayPal, a world-wide payments system, to identify and distribute better information for business decision makers. Read more about the partnership.

Brazil’s Scientific Mobility Program Suspended
Brazil’s Scientific Mobility Program has been suspended until further notice due to the economic and political situation of Brazil. Students who were scheduled in 2015 to study in the U.S. will be unaffected by the suspension. Many Brazilian students had recently come to North Dakota through this program.  There are currently no bids for 2016. Please direct any questions to Laura Reffatti at Laura.Reffatti@trade.gov.

USA Trade Online is Now FREE!
The newly redesigned USA Trade Online is now free for all users to access. In addition, current users will find many new data fields and functions. The change will make this Census Bureau-provided data tool an even more powerful instrument for accessing and viewing U.S. international trade data.

NATIONAL / INTERNATIONAL EVENTS

Oil and Gas Equipment and Services Catalog Show
Date: November 9-12
Location: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Cost: $300
Increase your company’s exposure in the Middle East, Africa and Asian sub-continent marketplace by displaying your product brochures in the U.S. Commercial Service booth located within the U.S. Pavilion at the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference, one of the world’s major meeting places for companies working in the Oil and Gas industry. Participation in this catalog display is an extremely low-cost, yet effective way for you to evaluate interest in your company’s products or services and to test the market for business opportunities. For more information, contact Chandran Vengayil at Chandran.Vengayil@trade.gov. Register now.

Expo Agrialimentaria
Date: November 24-27
Location: Irapuato, Mexico
Cost: $3,000 for corner booth, $2,750 for center booth, $799 for catalog show
With nearly 100,000 visitors and over 450 exhibitors from around the world, Expo Agroalimentaria is Mexico's most important agriculture show. It brings together all segments of the agriculture industry from countries including: Mexico, U.S., Israel, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Italy, Japan, Spain, France, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. There will be 27.2 acres of indoor and outdoor exhibitions spaces and greenhouse demonstration plots. Learn more For additional information, contact Heather Ranck at Heather.Ranck@trade.gov or Juan Herrera at Juan.Herrera@trade.gov.

Singapore Airshow 2016
Date: February 16-18, 2016
Location: Changi Exhibition Centre, Singapore
Cost: $8,700 (small or medium-sized enterprises with less than 500 employees); $9,400 (large companies with more than 500 employees); $300 for each additional firm representative
Registration deadline: Space is limited. Apply early.
The Singapore Airshow is one of the world’s top three airshows, encompassing all civil and military sectors of the international aerospace industry. This is the foremost platform for companies to showcase their products and services in the Asia-Pacific region.
Learn more about the Singapore Airshow and register now.

Central European Education Fairs
Date: April 18-22, 2016
Locations: Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary
Cost: $650 (Czech Republic); $750 (Poland); $650 (Hungary)
The U.S. Commercial Service at the U.S. Embassies in the Czech Republic, Poland, and Hungary, in cooperation with EducationUSA and the Fullbright Commission, is organizing educational fairs in their respective countries. This is an opportunity for representatives of regionally accredited U.S. institutions of higher education, both undergraduate and graduate, to explore the markets of Central Europe. Learn more.
For additional information, contact Jennifer Moll at Jennifer.Moll@trade.gov or Amy Ryan at Amy.Ryan@trade.gov. Register now!

Hannover Messe : USA To Ramp Up Presence at World's Largest Industrial Fair
Date: April 25-29, 2016
Location: Hannover, Germany
Hannover Messe is the world's leading technology fair for industrial technology. For the first time, the US will be featured as the Partner Country, bringing the spotlight to US technologies and companies. Attracting over 100 buyer delegations and more than 200,000 attendees from more than 70 countries, Hannover Messe is five trade shows in one integrated event. U.S exporters can participate at Hannover Messe in a variety of ways, including:
- Booth exhibit with unmatched international exposure including a featured page on the Hannover Messe 2016 website with enhanced search capabilities
- Numerous networking events focused on the USA
- Onsite customized support from U.S. Commercial Service industry specialists
- CS Executive Market Counseling with CS staff from among the top 25 markets present at Hannover Messe (B2G)
- CS International Partner Promotion Program (B2B)
- Booth tours
- Know Before You Go webinars to maximize onsite opportunities and more
Learn more about Hannover Messe on our website. Register your interest and you will receive one-on-one guidance for assessing your firm's opportunities onsite at Hannover Messe 2016.

Save the Date: SelectUSA Investment Summit
Dates: June 19-21, 2016
Location: Washington Hilton, Washington, D.C.
SelectUSA promotes and facilitates business investment by working with companies that want to establish U.S. operations and by partnering with U.S. economic development organizations to attract them. SelectUSA has helped win over $17 billion of deals in the past four years. The SelectUSA Investment Summit is the premier venue for international investors of all sizes to find the right place, with the people, resources, and market they need to be successful. Registration and more information coming soon!

WEBINARS

Aerospace Industry in Asia-Pacific Webinar
Date: November 3
Time: 7:30 pm CT
Cost: FREE
The U.S. Commercial Service in partnership with Kallman Worldwide is offering an exciting webinar featuring an overview of the aerospace industry trends in the Asia-Pacific region, and useful information about the Singapore Airshow 2016. Contact Paul Matino at Paul.Matino@trade.gov with questions. Learn more and register now!

Virtual Education Fair with Mexico
Date: November 18
Time: 10:00 am CT
Cost: $650
Registration deadline: Participation is limited to 6 higher education institutions, apply early
The U.S. Commercial Service offers American higher education institutions a low-cost opportunity to recruit students from Mexico through an online presentation and discussion. Mexican students are eager to improve their career opportunities by studying in the United States, their number one educational destination. This 90 minute Virtual Education Fair is open to only six U.S. educational institutions to present the strengths of their programs, staff, housing, funding, and location, among others.
Contact Paul Kullman at Paul.Kullman@trade.gov with any questions and to register.

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Your U.S. Commercial Service / North Dakota Office 

	Heather Ranck Office Director and International Trade Specialist Ph: 701-239-5080 Email: Heather.Ranck@trade.gov
	Megan Klosterman Export Assistant Ph: 701-239-5033 Email: Megan.Klosterman@trade.gov

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US Commercial Service | United States Department of Commerce | 811 Second Ave. N | Suite 436 | Fargo | ND | 58102