KDA helps open doors for Kentucky producers in international markets

 

 

Commissioner Richie Farmer

 

The Kentucky Department of Agriculture is hard at work to give our rural economy an economic boost by expanding markets for Kentucky farm products beyond our borders.

 

The KDA’s import/export advisor, Jonathan Van Balen, just got back from a trade mission to China to expand the sale of Kentucky agricultural products in the world’s most populated country. For a year now, trade specialist Silvia Alonso has been directing Kentucky’s trade office in Guadalajara, Mexico.

 

Mexico is Kentucky’s third-largest trade partner, trailing only Canada and France. Exports from Kentucky to Mexico in 2007 totaled $1.4 billion, including $30.5 million in agricultural products.

 

Mirroring the global recession, this year’s U.S. agricultural exports are projected to decline by 17.3 percent ($20 billion) from last year’s record $115.5 billion.

 

Kentucky ranks in the middle of the pack, 28th out of the 50 states, in sales of agriculture products overseas. I think we can do better. The Kentucky Department of Agriculture's marketing staff is here to help.

 

 

Click here to find out more about the Kentucky Department of Agriculture's international marketing program.