Export Seminar Helps Bring Georgia Agriculture to the World
Last month, local Georgia businesses and international trade partners convened in the heart of Atlanta's Tech Square to discuss and explore new opportunities to export Georgia's agricultural goods around the world. Hosted by the Southern United States Trade Association (SUSTA) in partnership with the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) and Georgia Grown, the half-day seminar brought together speakers from across Georgia and the southeastern United States to provide Georgia companies with valuable insight on how to take their local agricultural business international. Georgia's small businesses are driving exports.
In her opening remarks, Deputy Commissioner for International Trade Mary Waters addressed one of the most common misconceptions about exporting, explaining that 89% of exporters in Georgia are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Today, more and more SMEs in agriculture are looking at exporting their goods as a means to build economic resiliency, diversify their market presence, and stimulate new revenue growth. The good news for these companies is that there are a number of local, state and federal organizations that focus their efforts and services on helping SMEs either begin exporting or expand their exporting opportunities. Companies don't need to go it alone on their export journey SUSTA, GDEcD and Georgia Grown work together to offer companies a wide range of services and resources frequently offered at little to no additional cost to the company. A non-profit association funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Market Access Program, SUSTA hosts events and trade missions across the southern United States and around the world where companies can meet with industry experts and foreign buyers. SUSTA also provides a cost-share program that helps offset expenses related to international marketing efforts whether it be changing a label on a product's packaging to meet market standards or attending an international trade show. GDEcD's Trade Division offers Georgia companies a variety of complementary services ranging from foreign market research to connecting companies with one or more of Georgia's 12 international representatives in markets across the globe. These in-country representatives are dedicated to working one-on-one with Georgia companies to bring their products into foreign markets.
An initiative of the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA), Georgia Grown is specifically dedicated to helping agricultural producers across the state grow their business both domestically and internationally by promoting locally grown Georgia products in new markets. Combining expertise in both agricultural promotion and export know-how, Georgia Grown and GDEcD form a seamless partnership that helps bring Georgia's agricultural products to consumers all over the world. More broadly, SUSTA, GDEcD and Georgia Grown work in unison with other state and federal international trade partners to provide Georgia agricultural companies, specifically small and medium-sized enterprises, with a comprehensive set of services that includes everything they need to grow their international market share. Overcoming the logistics and financing challenges of exporting.
Two of the biggest challenges small businesses often face when wanting to export are logistics and financing. The seminar, like the other services these partners provide, directly addressed these issues by providing companies with insight on how to overcome these challenges and concerns. One of the seminar speakers representing a major freight forwarder shared best practices on logistics and specific considerations for companies exporting agricultural products. The seminar also featured Georgia-based representatives from the U.S. Export-Import Bank and the U.S. Small Business Administration who outlined the financial services and advising they offer companies looking to export. One of the biggest takeaways for companies who attended was that no matter the concern or challenge they experience throughout the export process, companies can go to any of the partners in Georgia and be connected to resources that can best assist them in their stage of the exporting process.
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To find out more information on upcoming SUSTA events, click here. To learn more about GDEcD's services and how it can help expand your agricultural business, click here or contact International Trade Managers Alice Carson ([email protected]) or Josh Jacob ([email protected]).