MANHATTAN, Kan. — Together, the Kansas Department of Agriculture and the Kansas Department of Commerce were awarded a $380,000 State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) Grant award for use in 2018. Since the grant’s inception in 2012, more than 50 Kansas small businesses have participated and achieved $17.2 million in actual export sales. To further broaden Kansas’ exporter base and to increase the export value and volume, the two departments have joined forces during the 2018 grant year to focus on three main areas: export training, foreign trade shows and trade missions, and market entry support.
The following KDA STEP Grant trade missions are planned for 2018. All dates are tentative.
- Petfood Forum Asia, Bangkok, Thailand, March 27-29, 2018
- 21st Century: Food, Feed and Fuel for a Rapidly Changing World, Cape Town, South Africa, April 9-13, 2018
- Beef Australia, Rockhampton, Australia, May 6-12, 2018
- AGRO 2018, Kiev, Ukraine, June 6-9, 2018
- Vietnam, aquaculture focused trade mission, location/date TBD
Additionally, KDA has planned the following U.S. Livestock Genetics Export trade missions in 2018. The goal of these missions is to provide an opportunity for Kansas’ purebred cattle producers and allied industry to develop relationships with livestock producers to increase market opportunities for U.S. and Kansas beef and dairy genetics.
- AgroFarm Russia, Moscow, Russia, February 6-8, 2018
- Beef Australia, May 6-12, 2018
- Argentina, late July 2018
Applications for trade missions are due approximately two months prior to tentative travel date. For additional information about the 2018 international travel opportunities, and to apply for any of the missions, please visit www.agriculture.ks.gov/international or contact Suzanne Ryan-Numrich, KDA international trade director, at 785-564-6704 or [email protected].
Total Kansas agriculture exports totaled $3.2 billion in 2016. KDA’s mission is to provide an environment that enhances and encourages economic growth of the agriculture industry domestically and internationally.
