U.S. Exporters Join Under Secretary McKinney on Canada Trade Mission

Contact: press@fas.usda.gov or (202) 720-7115

WASHINGTON, Aug. 30, 2019 – U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney will lead a trade mission to Canada Sept. 3-6, accompanied by representatives from 41 U.S. agribusinesses and associations looking to expand sales to the United States’ top agricultural export market.

“With the new U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) poised for passage, this is a great time for U.S. agricultural exporters to be shoring up ties with our neighbors to the north,” McKinney said. “Our two nations already enjoy the world’s largest bilateral agricultural trade relationship, with almost $120 million worth of food and farm products crossing the border every day. The USMCA will make this good relationship even better, and we’re looking forward to meeting with current and potential customers in Toronto and Montreal to explore new and expanded business opportunities.”

In addition to representatives from the following companies and organizations, McKinney will be joined by Maine Commissioner of the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Amanda Beal, Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Bettina Ring, and officials from the Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, New York, Oregon, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin departments of agriculture.

1. American Peanut Council, Alexandria, Va.
2. American Sweet Potato Marketing Institute, Benson, N.C.
3. B & R Farms, LLC, Hollister, Calif.
4. Bard Valley Date Growers, Yuma, Ariz.
5. Belmont Farm Distillery, Culpeper, Va.
6. California Cherry Marketing & Research Board, Sacramento, Calif.
7. California Pear Advisory Board, Sacramento, Calif.
8. California Prune Board, Roseville, Calif.
9. California Strawberry Commission, Watsonville, Calif.
10. Devils River Whiskey, San Antonio, Texas
11. Elmhurst Milked Direct LLC, Elma, N.Y.
12. Food Export Association of the Midwest USA, Chicago, Ill.
13. Food Export USA – Northeast, Philadelphia, Pa.
14. Fusion Jerky/HTY Foods, San Francisco, Calif.
15. G&B Growers, LLC, Lynden, Wash.
16. Giovanni's Appetizing Food Products, Inc., Richmond, Mich.
17. Hello Delicious!, Northbrook, Ill.
18. Ironclad Distillery Co., Newport News, Va.
19. Let Them Eat Candles, Glencoe, Ill.
20. Log House Foods, Plymouth, Minn.
21. Mad River Distillers, Burlington, Vt.
22. Mano’s Authentic, LLC, Clinton Township, Mich.
23. National Sunflower Association, Mandan, N.D.
24. Northwest Wine Coalition, Seattle, Wash.
25. Pure Steeps Beverage, LLC, Anaheim, Calif.
26. Pyramid Foods, LLC, Shawnee, Kan.
27. RainSweet Inc., Salem, Ore.
28. Raisin Administrative Committee, Fresno, Calif.
29. Rovira Foods Inc., Guaynabo, P.R.
30. Royal Ridge Fruits, Royal City, Wash.
31. Sagamore Spirit, Baltimore, Md.
32. Simonian Fruit Company, Fowler, Calif.
33. Southern United States Trade Association, New Orleans, La.
34. U.S. Grains Council, Washington, D.C.
35. U.S. Soybean Export Council, Chesterfield, Mo.
36. USA Rice Federation, Arlington, Va.
37. Washington Apple Commission, Wenatchee, Wash.
38. Whiskey Acres Distilling Co., DeKalb, Ill.
39. Whistling Andy Distilling, Bigfork, Mont.
40. Wine Institute, San Francisco, Calif.
41. Western United States Agricultural Trade Association, Vancouver, Wash.

Learn more about this and other USDA trade missions by visiting https://www.fas.usda.gov/topics/trade-missions and following FAS on Twitter at @USDAForeignAg.

NOTE TO REPORTERS:
Under Secretary McKinney will hold a teleconference from Montréal with U.S. media on Thursday, September 5 at 2:00 p.m., EDT. Reporters wishing to participate must RSVP to press@fas.usda.gov by 4 p.m. on Wednesday, September 4.

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