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Wisconsin Initiative for Agricultural Exports News and Updates
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 2027 applications are now open 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 2027 application.
For more information, contact Shirley Acedo (shirley.acedo@wisconsin.gov) at the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) or Daniel Griffith (dgriffith@foodexport.org) at Food Export-Midwest.
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Emily Adams is the newest International Economic Development Consultant at DATCP. She is committed to helping Wisconsin’s agricultural producers and food businesses grow their international presence. Prior to joining DATCP, Adams spent two years in Berlin as a German Chancellor Fellow at the German Council on Foreign Relations, where she led a project on transatlantic trade policy and international market conditions affecting key industries and regions in the U.S. and Europe. She also gained international trade experience as a Fulbright Grantee and through positions at the Brookings Institution and the German American Chamber of Commerce. Professionally fluent in German, she has direct experience coordinating delegations, leading international projects, and connecting people and resources with global networks. Native to northern Wisconsin, Adams holds a Master of Public Policy from the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy, as well as two Bachelor of Science degrees in Economics and German and a minor in Chinese from North Central College. She has lived in China, Lithuania, and Germany.
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Trade Promotion Activites Promoting Wisconsin Products Opportunities
Date: October 1, 2026, 9 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Location: Madison, Wisconsin
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 Wisconsin and the U.S. with potential international buyers.
If you are interested in purchasing product from the U.S., scan the Buyer Form QR code or visit the form via this link.
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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 the industry together for five days of discoveries, discussions, and meetings.
DATCP is currently recruiting Wisconsin cheese companies to exhibit at SIAL Paris 2026. DATCP had a successful Wisconsin cheese presence at the 2024 show in collaboration with Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin (DFW) and 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) for more information and to secure your spot.
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) for more information and to secure your spot.
Funded by the Wisconsin Initiative for Agricultural Exports*
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Date: March 15-19, 2027
Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Wisconsin processed food companies are invited to exhibit in the Wisconsin Pavilion at Gulfood 2027. With global attendees, Gulfood is the place to meet and connect with food buyers worldwide. 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.
We have only two remaining spots for this heavily desired event! Contact Shirley Acedo (shirley.acedo@wisconsin.gov) for more information and to secure your spot.
Funded by Wisconsin Initiative for Agricultural Exports*
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Date: April 28-29, 2027
Location: Sydney, Australia
Wisconsin forestry products suppliers and exporters are invited to join the Wisconsin booth. As Australia’s largest construction and design show, Sydney Build brings together tens of thousands of contractors, developers, architects, engineers, suppliers, and other industry professionals, providing an excellent platform to showcase Wisconsin wood products, connect with potential buyers and partners, and develop new business opportunities in Australia and the broader Oceania region. Australia is an important market for premium U.S. hardwoods, including Wisconsin oak, with additional opportunities emerging as states such as Victoria and Western Australia have ended commercial native forest harvesting. Exhibit space in the Wisconsin booth is funded through the Wisconsin Initiative for Agricultural Exports (WIAE) and provided to participating Wisconsin companies at no charge. Space is limited and available on a first-come, first served basis. Applications are due January 31, 2027.
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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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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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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- September 30 – Food Export Feed Buyers Mission at World Dairy Expo
Trade Promotion Activites Promoting Wisconsin Products Recaps
 IABC International Economic Development Consultant Jennifer Lu with representatives at USIDP Summit 2026
In June, International Agribusiness Center (IABC) staff traveled to Jakarta, Indonesia, to participate in the U.S.– Indonesia Dairy Partnership (USIDP) Summit, hosted by the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC). The summit brought together government, industry, university, and dairy leaders to support Indonesia’s growing dairy sector and to strengthen the U.S.–Indonesia collaboration. During the summit, IABC staff also showcased Wisconsin specialty cheeses, which were a popular highlight among participants.
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 at Summer Fancy Food Show.
In June, IABC staff joined the Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin (DFW) at the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City, North America’s largest specialty food trade event. The show provided valuable opportunities to meet with international buyers, many hosted by DFW, and connected with Wisconsin cheese companies showcasing their products.
Building on those conversations, IABC continued working with DFW by meeting with inbound buyers from South Korea, China, Hong Kong, and Vietnam during their visits to Madison in July and August. These interactions helped strengthen relationships with key international buyers, showcase Wisconsin’s world-class dairy industry, and create new opportunities for Wisconsin cheese and dairy products in global markets. Together, DFW and DATCP continue to collaborate in connecting Wisconsin dairy companies with international buyers and expanding opportunities in global markets
To read the full event recap, visit the success story webpage.
Funded by the Wisconsin Initiative for Agricultural Exports*
 People mill about under the Wisconsin tent at the North American Railgate.
On June 16, 2026, IABC staff were joined by nearly 20 Wisconsin food businesses and four state associations to exhibit at the North American Railgate event in Monterrey, Mexico.
This event was planned in conjunction with the World Cup, Canadian Pacific Kansas City Rail (CPKC), and the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) to celebrate the prolonged trilateral agriculture trade between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico with a World Cup-themed agriculture supply chain popup trade show and rail logistics presentations. This event fostered informal networking and brought together key representatives across the agricultural supply chain to strengthen and grow rail-based exports to Mexico.
To review 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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