Grainnet

International Poultry Expo / International Feed Expo to Participate in U.S. Department of Commerce International Buyer Program

The International Poultry Expo / International Feed Expo is one of 38 trade shows selected to participate in the U.S. Department of Commerce’s 2009 International Buyer Program.

The IPE is sponsored by the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association.

The American Feed Industry Association sponsors the IFE.

This marks the third time the trade show has been accepted into this prestigious program.

Under the IBP, the department’s U.S. Commercial Service recruits foreign buyer delegations from U.S. embassies abroad and takes them to trade shows in the United States to facilitate matchmaking with American businesses who are exhibiting at the show.

The IBP enables U.S. companies who are interested in exporting to meet with potential sales representatives and strategic partners without ever leaving the country.

“More than 70 percent of the world’s purchasing power lies outside the U.S. border,” said Stacey Silva, executive director of trade promotion programs for the U.S. Department of Commerce.

“Participating in the International Buyer Program not only increases international attendance, but also creates opportunities for U.S. exhibitors to capitalize on that overseas purchasing power.”

“Thanks to our involvement in the IBP, we’ve seen a steady increase in international attendance,” said USPOULTRY President John Starkey.

“We hope to continue expanding the show’s international presence using the resources of the U.S. Commercial Service.”

There were 3,986 international attendees from more than 100 countries at the 2008 trade show.

In descending order, the countries with the largest delegations were: Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, and Venezuela.

In the past, Starkey noted, several delegations each have completed $1 million transactions with exhibitors.

Acknowledged as the world’s largest trade shows for the poultry, egg, and feed sectors of the industry, the International Poultry Expo / International Feed Expo is scheduled Jan. 28-30, 2009, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Ga.

Preregistration will open Aug. 1.

Funds raised at the IPE are distributed back into the industry in the form of research, education, communications, and technical assistance.

For more information, contact Sylvia Small by email at ssmall@poultryegg.org.