Food Export’s 2023 Export Advisor Program is now open and accepting registrations.
The Export Advisor Program is a no-cost, year-long service providing custom assistance to help food companies kick start or improve their strategy for export growth. This is a great program for any company that is both interested in exporting and could use support from an export consultant for market research and strategy development.
Wayne Batwin will be handling the Advisor Program for Midwest companies in 2023. Companies can learn more and register at foodexport.org.
DATCP, in collaboration with the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), invites Wisconsin agribusinesses to apply for International Market Access Grants (IMAG).
Coordinated by WEDC, IMAGs provide funding to support a company’s specific export development and deployment strategy. The Wisconsin Initiative for Agricultural Exports (WIAE) expands WEDC’s existing IMAG program by designating funds solely for agribusinesses. Applicants must be an established agribusiness that is new to exporting or is expanding into new markets; that has been operating in Wisconsin for at least one year; and that manufactures, processes, assembles, or distributes a product that has the potential to be exported.
Companies that have not completed ExporTech™ training can receive IMAG funding up to three times, with a maximum of $10,000 per grant. ExporTech™ graduates can receive IMAG funding up to six times, with a maximum of $25,000 per grant. Matching funds are required at 30% of the grant award. Eligible project expenses include costs associated with trade shows and ventures, marketing, promotions, consulting services, and export education.
Applications are reviewed and approved on a rolling basis. Those who missed the April 1 deadline to apply for this year's program can still prepare their application to be submitted for next year's program, which opens July 1.
Application materials can be requested by contacting:
Katie Ujdak, Global Trade & Investment Grants Specialist
Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation
Email: katie.ujdak@wedc.org
Phone: (608) 210-6773
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service (USDA AMS) is providing current Domestic and International Commodity Vendors in the Web Based Supply Chain Management (WBSCM) system an online training session titled “Report Options In WBSCM.” This training session will be instructor-led and conducted live via Zoom on April 25, 2023, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. EST. Register for the training via Zoom: Report Options in WBSCM.
Prior to the training date, a reminder will be sent to all registered vendors with instructions on how to access the training session. For more information, contact WBSCMAMSHelpDesk@usda.gov.
The next Wisconsin Agricultural Export Advisory Council (WAXC) meeting is scheduled to be held on September 6, 2023, starting at 9 a.m. The WAXC will also host a series of informational webinars in the next year.
These webinars are scheduled for:
- August 16, 2023
- November 15, 2023
- December 13, 2023
- January 17, 2024
For more information, visit the DATCP website.
The Division of Agricultural Development at the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) is providing an internship opportunity in Madison. The position will be paid, with 15-20 work hours expected per week during the school year and the option to increase hours during the summer. Eligible applicants must be enrolled as a student.
This position is responsible for program support for DATCP's international projects. Primary responsibilities include market research, database management, communicating with Wisconsin companies via email and telephone, completing reports, and assisting international consultants with event preparation.
Additional information can be requested by contacting:
Mark Rhoda-Reis, Export and Business Development Bureau Director
Email: mark.rhodareis@wisconsin.gov
Phone: (608) 400-5311
One of the Export Expansion Grant projects supported by the WIAE* is a survey of dairy processors to understand the number of, and the barriers facing, dairy product exporters. Please consider participating if you are a dairy processor. If you know of dairy processors who may not be aware of this survey, please share the information below. The following is a message from UW-Madison Associate Professor Dr. Charles (Chuck) Nicholson:
With support of the UW-Madison Dairy Innovation Hub and the Wisconsin Initiative for Agricultural Exports, we are conducting a research study on the current degree of participation by Wisconsin dairy companies in export markets and the most important barriers to entering or expanding presence in dairy export markets. To address these issues, we have developed an online survey with questions about your company's current involvement — or lack thereof — in dairy product export markets and the opportunities and challenges associated with it. Sharing your company’s experience with dairy export markets will provide helpful information to the development of future programs to support expansion of Wisconsin's dairy product exports.
We estimate that this survey should take 10-20 minutes to complete. All information provided will be held in the strictest confidence and will not be made available or reported to any individual or organization other than the researchers, Dr. Chuck Nicholson, and Dr. Mark Stephenson of UW-Madison. No individual company data will be reported in any form, only aggregated survey results. If you have questions or concerns regarding the survey, we are happy to discuss them.
Thank you for your assistance with this research effort.
Dr. Charles Nicholson
Agricultural & Applied Economics 442 Animal Science Building University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, WI 53705
Email: cfnicholson@wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 890-0924
Supported by the Dairy Innovation Hub and WIAE.*
Dates: May 2-7, 2023
Location: Morocco
SIAM is an international agricultural exhibition launched in 2006. It has developed into a key international event for business professionals and an opportunity to present the latest in agricultural research, development, and technologies.
DATCP will be conducting a conference titled "Applied Genomics and Cow Management" under the funding of Wisconsin Initiative for Agriculture Exports (WIAE)*. Confirmed speakers include:
- Dr. Francisco Penagaricano, University of Wisconsin-Madison (Genomics)
- Dr. Joao Dorea, University of Wisconsin-Madison (Cattle Management & Nutrition)
- Dr. Sophie Eaglen, National Association of Animal Breeders Inc. (Genomics)
Wisconsin livestock genetics companies and feed companies are welcome to participate and have the opportunity to show their products and services to the Morocco agriculture sector.
Interested in participating? Contact:
Luis Santana, Economic Development Consultant
Email: luis.santana@wisconsin.gov
Phone: (608) 640-8075
Dates: May 8-11, 2023
Location: Milan, Italy
Held biennially in Milan, TUTTOFOOD provides unmatched access to over 40,000+ trade-only visitors from Southern Europe. This event also offers 350+ hosted buyers from around the world who are invited by the the Italian Trade Commission (ICE) offices and with whom exhibitors can meet in pre-arranged one-on-one meetings.
Limited space remains in the USDA's USA Pavilion at TUTTOFOOD 2023. Opportunities exist for U.S. producers interested in establishing exports to Southern Europe, where demographic evolution is driving changes in consumer buying habits with high interest in new and trendy products.
Interested in participating? Contact:
Shirley Acedo, Economic Development Consultant
Email: shirley.acedo@wisconsin.gov
Phone: (608) 419-4643
Dates: May 9-12, 2023
Location: Cologne, Germany
Funded by the State Trade Expansion Program (STEP)
Interzum is the world’s leading international trade show for furniture production and interior construction. Every two years, global furniture manufacturers, interior designers, architects, products developers, and consultants gather in Cologne to discuss the latest trends.
State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) will support shared exhibit space of 27 square meters for Wisconsin companies to exhibit at the show.
Interested in participating? Contact:
Jennifer Lu, Economic Development Consultant
Email: jennifer.lu@wisconsin.gov
Phone: (608) 347-1852
Dates: June 10-16, 2023
Location: United Kingdom
Funded by the Wisconsin Initiative for Agricultural Exports (WIAE)*
The United Kingdom is Wisconsin’s sixth largest trading partner. As the UK’s planned exit from the European Union (Brexit) continues, opportunities for food, forestry, and agriculture products will increase. Wood products, feed, livestock and genetics, craft spirits and beers, organic and specialty foods, and pet foods are among the products with the strongest opportunity.
The UK mission will include buyer meetings, store visits, market briefings, and meetings with regulatory entities. The mission will be led by DATCP staff and include meetings with national and regional government officials, as well as with industry and economic development organizations. WIAE* funding will support the cost of in-country contractors providing partner searches, business meeting facilitation services, meeting costs, transportation, and market reports for up to six Wisconsin companies.
Interested in participating? Contact:
Shirley Acedo, Economic Development Consultant
Email: shirley.acedo@wisconsin.gov
Phone: (608) 419-4643
Date: September 11-14, 2023
Location: Sydney, Australia
Two booths remain within the Food Export area of the USA Pavilion at Fine Food Australia. The cost of the turn-key booth with Food Show Plus services is $6,495. A furnished 9-sq-meter booth (table, chairs, info counter, barstool, shelves, trashcan) including invitations to buyers, virtual consultation with an In-Market Representative prior to the show, market briefing, retail tour, trade lead qualification and on-site assistance from an In-Market Representative, plus scheduled one-on-one meetings with qualified buyers from New Zealand.
This event is Branded Program-eligible and most of the expenses can be reimbursed up to 50%.
Interested in participating? Contact:
Lisa Stout, Economic Development Consultant
Email: lisa.stout@wisconsin.gov
Phone: (608) 514-4538
Date: October 25-27, 2023
Location: Tokyo, Japan and Seoul, South Korea
Spend a week meeting one-on-one with interested buyers in Tokyo and Seoul. There are tremendous opportunities for U.S. exporters willing and able to follow the strict Japanese product regulations and keep up with the latest trends in this market. Under the U.S. – Japan Free Trade Agreement (“USJTA” effective January 1, 2020) nearly 90% of U.S. food and agricultural imports into Japan are either duty free or receive preferential tariff access. Despite escalated competition from export-oriented competitors, consumer-oriented American products continued to lead the expansion of the export market in Korea, which reflected Korean consumers’ increased demand for better value, quality and diversity. The Korea-United States Free Trade Agreement, (KORUS), implemented in 2012, coupled with on-going evolvement of the Korean food market, should generate greater export opportunities for American products in Korea in the coming years.
Interested in participating? Contact:
Lisa Stout, Economic Development Consultant
Email: lisa.stout@wisconsin.gov
Phone: (608) 514-4538
*The Wisconsin Initiative for Agricultural Exports (WIAE), a collaborative project between DATCP and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), aims to boost the export of dairy, meat, and crop products by promoting Wisconsin agricultural products in the international marketplace. The WIAE was proposed in Gov. Tony Evers 2021-23 biennial state budget.
For more information on the WIAE, sign up for email updates and visit the DATCP website.
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