FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
July 18, 2006
For more information contact:

Tom Lacock, Senior Marketing and Public Relations Specialist
Wyoming Business Council
Office: 307.631.0958

Business Council looks for companies to take to Australian food show

CHEYENNE - The Wyoming Business Council invites value-added Wyoming companies to participate in the Western United States Agricultural Trade Association (WUSATA) Australian Trade Mission Sept. 11-19. The event encompasses the Fine Food Show Melbourne Sept. 11-14 and follow-up trade mission in Sydney, Sept. 16-19.

“This is an excellent opportunity for companies to participate in the Australian Market,” said Ted Craig, Wyoming Business Council Value Added Program Manager. “If your company wants to increase sales to the retail or foodservice market, then Fine Food Australia is your chance to reach thousands of real buyers face to face.”

The cost to participate is $500 and ground transportation while in Australia is included. Businesses attending will be responsible for their own airline tickets, hotels and meals and registration is due August 7. Included in the fee, Wyoming businesses will have the opportunity to display their products in the WUSATA pavilion where one-on-one meetings will be set up with buyers during the Melbourne show. Suitable products for the show include, but are not limited to: preserved foods, snacks/nuts, frozen foods, specialty foods, ethnic foods and natural foods. After the show, the mission will include retail tours and one-on-one buyer/distributor meetings in Sydney.

“This is the first time Wyoming producers have had the chance to go on a trade mission to Australia,” said Craig. “Australia is a fast-growing market and Wyoming producers now have the opportunity to take advantage of that.”

Australia is the twenty-third largest export destination for U.S. agricultural products. U.S. processed food exports were valued at $310 million for 2004, a 21 percent increase over the previous year. The Australian economy continues to grow. The U.S.-Australia Free Trade Agreement in 2005 has dropped tariff rates on U.S. exports to zero.

For more information on the event, please contact Ted Craig at 307-777-6578. For more information on WUSATA, visit www.wusata.org.

The mission of the Wyoming Business Council is to facilitate the economic growth of Wyoming. For more information, please visit the Web site at www.wyomingbusiness.org.

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