 "Our staff's efforts to bring buyers and sellers together
produced extraordinary results this year," said Bob Flider,
acting director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture. "The
previous three tours combined produced $25 million in sales, so
these results are very encouraging. They indicate there is
strong demand for Illinois grain and grain-related products and
services in foreign markets."
The tour, which the department conducts annually, brought 22
foreign grain buyers to Illinois from China, Korea, Malaysia,
Mexico, Peru, Singapore, Taiwan and Vietnam. Stops on the Sept.
10-14 tour included an Auburn corn and soybean farm; an
Assumption manufacturer of grain storage structures; a Mattoon
grain, oilseed and food ingredient supplier; and a Hennepin
ethanol plant.
"Our challenge now is to build upon the relationships started
on this year's tour and turn these initial sales into repeat
business," Flider added.
Exports are crucial to Illinois' agricultural economy,
accounting for 39 percent of the industry's cash receipts. In
fiscal 2010, the state sold $5.8 billion in agricultural
products overseas, making it the fourth-leading agricultural
exporter in the United States.
The grain tour is just one of the strategies the department
uses to find markets for Illinois products, support
agriculture-based employment and strengthen the Illinois
economy. Last fiscal year, for example, the department
participated in 13 international and domestic trade shows, led
five foreign buyers' missions and industry tours, facilitated
5,474 buyer-seller introductions, and disseminated 1,741 trade
leads to Illinois companies.
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These activities generated $71 million in actual sales and another
$763 million in projected sales for Illinois food companies and
agribusinesses.
Building on his commitment to increase foreign trade and market
Illinois goods overseas, this week Gov. Quinn is leading a
delegation of officials from Illinois businesses, educational
institutions and state and local governments on an economic trade
mission in Brazil.
The mission includes stops in São Paulo, Brasilia and Recife,
where Quinn will preside over the signing of several memorandums of
understanding as part of the Doing Business with Illinois program,
which is designed to establish ties in manufacturing, agriculture,
biotechnology and education.
[Text from
Illinois
Department of Agriculture
file received from the
Illinois Office of
Communication and Information]
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