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Wisconsin Initiative for Agricultural Exports News and Updates
The Wisconsin Initiative for Agricultural Exports (WIAE) Five-Year Report provides a comprehensive overview of the international trade activities that the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) developed and participated in to promote export growth in Wisconsin since the enactment of the program in 2021. Key takeaways include:
- The last five years are the highest five years of agricultural exports on record for Wisconsin.
- In 2025, WIAE supported 84 Wisconsin companies and 12 organizations through WIAE-funded trade promotion activities.
- Funding for this program over the last five years has created relationships between Wisconsin agribusinesses and foreign markets.
- Wisconsin is now the 11th largest exporter of agricultural products in the United States.
The U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) has launched a new Artisan Cheese Maker Membership category for artisan cheesemakers with annual sales under $15 million. Designed for small and specialty cheese companies that are new to exporting or exploring international markets, this membership offers a lower-cost entry point into USDEC’s export programming at an annual rate of $2,500. Benefits include access to export-focused initiatives, greater visibility for artisan producers, and resources to help companies build export readiness and grow in international markets. This new category is intended to support and strengthen the artisan cheese sector alongside state and regional efforts. For more details, please contact Erica Louder (elouder@usdec.org) or Jennifer Lu (jennifer.lu@wisconsin.gov).
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Food Export-Midwest is a non-profit organization made up of agricultural promotion agencies from 13 Midwestern states. The organization exists to provide the support U.S. companies need to enter international markets by offering education, global connections, export strategies, and marking financial assistance.
Branded Program 2026 applications are now available through Food Export-Midwest. The Branded Program provides 50% cost reimbursement for a variety of international marketing activities. Examples of the cost reimbursement include the following:
- International website development
- Foreign market-compliant packaging and labels
- Advertising and public relations
- In-store promotions and product demonstrations
- Fees for exhibiting at select overseas and domestic trade shows
- Marketing and point-of-sale materials
- Freight costs for product samples
Visit the program webpage to begin your 2026 application.
For more information, contact Shirley Acedo (shirley.acedo@wisconsin.gov) at DATCP or Daniel Griffith (dgriffith@foodexport.org) at Food Export-Midwest.
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Trade Promotion Activites Promoting Wisconsin Products Opportunities
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In collaboration with Food Export-Midwest and DATCP, we warmly invite you to join us at our Wisconsin Food Export Essentials: Skills, Strategy & Global Opportunity seminar on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, at SpringHill Suites by Marriott Milwaukee West/Wauwatosa.
This seminar is open to new or established exporters with a focus on small to medium-sized companies who specialize in food, food ingredients, pet food, or wood products. The seminar will be led by Dennis Lynch, a 40-year veteran of international trade who has provided customized one-on-one support to over 4,000 U.S. suppliers of food and agricultural products.
Topics include:
- Benefits of Exporting
- Developing Export Readiness Skills
- Food Export Programs & Services
- Understanding the Harmonized System & Fair-Trade Agreements
- Food Export Marketing Research
- Export Pricing, Quoting, & Terms of Sale
- Export Documentation & Regulations
To register for this event, visit the registration webpage. Registration closes on August 11, 2026. If you register before August 4, 2026, you will receive lunch with your ticket.
Contact Shirley Acedo (shirley.acedo@wisconsin.gov) for more information and to secure your spot.
Funded by the Wisconsin Initiative for Agricultural Exports*
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Date: September 30, 2026
Location: Madison, WI
Food Export is hosting a Value-Added Feed Ingredients Buyers Mission at the 2026 World Dairy Expo. World Dairy Expo is the world’s largest dairy-focused trade show. Each fall, more than 50,000 dairy enthusiasts journey to Madison, Wisconsin from nearly 100 countries to engage with innovative companies and industry leaders.
During the Value-Added Feed Ingredients Buyers Mission, participants will meet with pre-qualified buyers from around the world in prearranged, one-on-one meetings right here in the U.S., generate new sales leads, and build relationships with key industry players. This is the perfect low-cost opportunity to meet qualified buyers from around the world in one place! Due to feedback from last year, the meetings will take place right on the grounds at the Alliant Energy Center, making it easier to attend both the meetings and trade show.
Register on the registration webpage. Early Bird Registration is available for $175 until July 17, 2026.
Contact Jacob Leum (jacob.leum@wisconsin.gov) with questions.
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Date: October 1, 2026
Location: Madison, WI
DATCP and the National Association of Animal Breeders (NAAB) are teaming up to make networking simple and convenient by organizing meetings at World Dairy Expo. These prearranged meetings will match livestock, genetics, and embryo suppliers from the United States with potential international buyers.
Contact Jacob Leum (jacob.leum@wisconsin.gov) with questions.
Funded by the Wisconsin Initiative for Agricultural Exports*
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Date: October 17-21, 2026
Location: Paris, France
Over the span of 60 years, SIAL Paris has become the flagship meeting for the entire food industry. Every two years, SIAL Paris brings them together for five days of discoveries, discussions, and meetings.
DATCP is currently recruiting Wisconsin cheese companies to exhibit as part of the Wisconsin cheese presence at SIAL Paris 2026. DATCP had a successful Wisconsin cheese presence at the show in 2024, with the collaboration of Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin and the U.S. Dairy Export Council. The 2026 exhibit will build on that momentum and will replicate that large footprint. There is no participation fee to exhibit within the Wisconsin cheese booth; you would only incur your travel costs to staff the booth.
DATCP offers a turnkey, furnished, and shared booth package. Participants are accepted on a first-come basis and are responsible for airfare, hotel, and meals.
Contact Shirley Acedo (shirley.acedo@wisconsin.gov) for more information and to secure your spot.
Funded by the Wisconsin Initiative for Agricultural Exports*
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Date: November 10-12, 2026
Location: Shanghai, China
As China's leading showcase for imported food and drinks, Food and Hospitality China (FHC) offers exhibitors the opportunity to meet buyers from wholesale and retail outlets, as well as manufacturers, importers, distributors, and representatives from the hospitality and catering trades in China and across Asia. FHC’s main exhibits include high-end dairy products, tea, coffee, bakery, snacks, confectionary, chocolate, meat, seafood, catering design, decoration products, and supply chain products.
DATCP offers a turnkey, furnished, and shared booth package. Participants are accepted on a first-come basis and are responsible for airfare, hotel, and meals.
Contact Jennifer Lu (jennifer.lu@wisconsin.gov) for more information and to secure your spot.
Funded by the Wisconsin Initiative for Agricultural Exports*
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Date: February 2-6, 2027
Location: Izmir, Türkiye
Agroexpo International Agriculture and Livestock Fair in Türkiye will feature modern agricultural technologies, feeding practices, and innovations in livestock farming. This event will have more than 500 exhibitors, with 200,000 visitors representing 125 countries on a 330,000 square meter facility.
Türkiye is the bridge of the world as it connects Europe to Asia and the Middle East. DATCP invites Wisconsin companies that have animal health products, grain, feed ingredients, livestock, genetics, and other agricultural products to exhibit in the Wisconsin Pavillion. DATCP offers a turnkey solution including a booth rental, graphics, and furnishings. Participants are responsible for their own transportation, meals, accommodations, and any additional equipment for samples. The deadline to sign up is November 1, 2026.
Contact Jacob Leum (jacob.leum@wisconsin.gov) if interested in participating.
Funded by the Wisconsin Initiative for Agricultural Exports*
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Date: March 10-12, 2027
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Held every other year in Bangkok, Thailand, VIV Asia is the largest and most complete feed-to-food event in Asia. The last event hosted 1,500 exhibitors, with 51,000 visitors representing 129 countries. Participating companies meet with buyers in feed production, animal farming, breeding, genetics, veterinary and animal health solutions, slaughtering, meat, fish, egg, and dairy processing.
DATCP invites Wisconsin companies to join the booth at the Wisconsin Pavilion and offers a turnkey solution including a booth rental, graphics, and furnishings. Participants are responsible for their own transportation, meals, accommodations, and any additional equipment for samples. The deadline to sign up is December 1, 2026.
Contact Jacob Leum (jacob.leum@wisconsin.gov) if interested in participating.
Funded by the Wisconsin Initiative for Agricultural Exports*
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Food Export's trade missions create high-impact opportunities for U.S. suppliers to meet with prospective buyers and distributors in key international markets. These well-organized missions allow suppliers to better understand their export potential while building relationships that can lead to long-term growth in export sales.
2026 focused trade missions currently open for supplier registration include:
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Mexico: August 17-21, 2026 (Retail and Foodservice)
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Taiwan: August 18-20, 2026 (Retail and Foodservice)
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Canada: September 9-10, 2026 (Retail and Foodservice)
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Southeast Asia: October 5-9, 2026 (Retail and Foodservice)
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Korea: October 27-29, 2026 (Innovative, Healthy, & Convenient Products)
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Middle East: December 8-11, 2026 (Retail and Foodservice)
Details for all focused trade missions and the individual event offerings can be found on the Food Export website.
For a full list of upcoming training webinars, buyers missions, trade shows, and more, visit the events webpage.
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The United States Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service's (USDA FAS) agricultural trade missions help American companies increase their global reach. Upcoming missions includes:
Learn more and register on the USDA FAS website.
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- August 31-September 3 – Fine Food Australia
Trade Promotion Activites Promoting Wisconsin Products Recaps
 International Agribusiness Center (IABC) International Economic Development Consultant Jacob Leum with representatives at Interzoo.
From May 12-15, 2026, DATCP staff from the International Agribusiness Center were joined by representatives from Global Ingredients Corporation and Stella & Chewy's to exhibit at Interzoo Pet Show located in Nürnberg, Germany. The show included more than 2,150 exhibitors from 68 countries, and 40,000 visitors from 140 countries, making this the number one show in the world for the pet industry.
In addition to exhibiting at the pet show, company representatives met with buyers and distributors from all corners of the world to build relationships, with a focus on growing Wisconsin's agricultural exports. To review the full event recap, visit the success story webpage.
Funded by the Wisconsin Initiative for Agricultural Exports*
 Attendees at the ILDEX Vietnam Livestock Show.
From May 20-23, 2026, DATCP staff from the International Agribusiness Center were joined by representatives from Agrifred US Livestock Exports, Bio-Vet, Genex, and Great Lakes Biosystems to exhibit at the ILDEX Vietnam Livestock Show located in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Exhibitors from 25 countries were present for this event. ILDEX Vietnam 2026 featured comprehensive solutions across the livestock and aquaculture value chains, ranging from animal feed and farm technologies to biosecurity and environmental management solutions. In addition to the exhibition area, the event also hosts a series of specialized technical seminars organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and industry associations.
Wisconsin has a growing positive reputation in Vietnam as being one of the top growing locations for dairy feed ingredients in the world. In addition to exhibiting at the livestock show, company representatives met with buyers and distributors from southeast Asia to build relationships. As Vietnam continues to build a strong animal agriculture sector, Wisconsin will continue to strengthen this partnership.
To read the full event recap, visit the success story webpage.
Funded by the Wisconsin Initiative for Agricultural Exports*
 IABC International Economic Development Consultant Jacob Leum with representatives at VIV Europe.
From June 2-4, 2026, DATCP staff from the International Agribusiness Center were joined by representatives from Agrifred US Livestock Exports, Duluth Seaway Port Authority, Esmilco Inc., Global Ingredients Corporation, Optum Immunity, and Port Milwaukee to exhibit at VIV Europe Livestock Show located in Utrecht, Netherlands. VIV Europe is known as the “Showroom of the World.” The show welcomed 15,000 professional visitors from 135 countries alongside more than 450 exhibitors active across the full animal protein value chain. Exhibiting companies hailed from 37 countries, reflecting the global reach of the event and its standing as the industry's foremost international meeting point for livestock.
Wisconsin exporters were a strong feature in the feed ingredients hall, as company representatives met with buyers and distributors from Europe and other parts of the world to build relationships while focusing on growing Wisconsin's agricultural exports. As the Netherlands is the gateway into Europe for logistics, this was a location for many of our companies to have strategic meetings. Wisconsin will be a key player in working with the EU on grain and grain byproducts, as well as animal health products including young calf formulas, bovine genetics, and ethanol.
To read the full event recap, visit the success story webpage.
Funded by the Wisconsin Initiative for Agricultural Exports*
 IABC International Economic Development Consultant Jennifer Lu with representatives from Banks Hardwoods, Ort Flooring, and Granite Valley Forest Products in Italy.
Interzum Forum Italy is a leading trade event for the furniture manufacturing and interior design supply chain, bringing together manufacturers, suppliers, designers, and industry professionals from across Italy and Europe. Italy is a global leader in furniture design and high-value furniture manufacturing, making it an important market for Wisconsin hardwoods used in premium furniture, cabinetry, flooring, and interior applications.
DATCP supported the Wisconsin presence at the event in Bergamo, Italy, June 4-5, 2026. Three Wisconsin companies including Banks Hardwoods, Granite Valley Forest Products, and Ort Flooring exhibited at the show. The event provided valuable opportunities to strengthen relationships with importers, distributors, and manufacturers while showcasing Wisconsin’s high-quality hardwood and wood products to the European marketplace.
To read the full event recap, visit the success story webpage.
Funded by the Wisconsin Initiative for Agricultural Exports*
*The Wisconsin Initiative for Agricultural Exports (WIAE), a collaborative project between the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (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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