Exploring new global markets is becoming increasingly important in agriculture and that’s what the Agri-Marketing Centre at Manitoba Ag Days is all about.
Located in Salon A on Main Street at the Keystone Centre, the Agri-Marketing Centre is a semi-private business venue where Manitoba Ag Days exhibitors, manufacturers and other agri-industry professionals can meet with both domestic as well as international visitors and buyers.
The 2,100-square-foot room offers a meeting lounge, wireless Internet cafe and exhibitor message centre as well as advice on export planning, information on government programs and sector or market profiles provided by participating industry partners and Manitoba Trade & Investment (MTI) staff.
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Attendees wanting to explore export markets are encouraged to visit the centre and discuss issues facing new and established exporters such as country/region markets, trade barriers, emerging trends and so on with the experts on hand.
Atom Jet Group of Brandon has been exporting for nearly 20 years but there are always opportunities not yet discovered, says Atom Jet CEO, Craig Senchuk.
“The Agri-Marketing event at Manitoba Ag Days gives companies the opportunity to learn from others who have had success, which is really how we started exporting, learning from others who had been doing it for years,” he says. “You are always going to gain something at venues like the Agri-Marketing event, whether it is picking up information from public-sector sources or just making a good contact to swap stories with. Export opportunities rarely come to you, you need to go out and get them and the more armed you are with information and contacts the better success you will have.”
PhiBer Manufacturing Inc. of Crystal City has also attended the Agri-Marketing event for several years and knows that although the value isn’t always immediate, it is definitely there. “We feel it is a beneficial event, as much networking goes on there,” says Rick Lussier, PhiBer’s director of sales. “One never knows when the right connection and right time will occur for future business and markets.”
On the second and third mornings, prior to the show’s daily opening, the Agri-Marketing Centre hosts its “Early Bird Breakfast and Export Forum” which features a panel of industry peers and expert guest speakers, and includes discussion and networking opportunities.
The session on Wednesday morning has the theme of expanding global and domestic opportunities in grain handling and secondary processing and includes panellists from Thompson Dorfman Sweatman, FWS Group of Companies, Farm Credit Canada and MTI.
Thursday morning’s theme is diversifying and growing markets, with emphasis on the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest U.S., Western and Eastern Europe and the CIS Countries.
Panellists include senior representatives from Acumen Corporate Development, Atom-Jet Group, the Canadian Consulate – Minneapolis and MTI, as well as several attending U.S. trade representatives. Opening the Thursday morning breakfast forum session is the Minister for Entrepreneurship, Training and Trade, Honourable Peter Bjornson.
