Hot Sauce Predictions 2013 by Jerry Hingle

A recent blog post by the Penn State Agricultural Entrepreneurship blog shed light on hot sauces and the growing trend we will see in 2013.

"Hot sauce production is one of the 10 fastest-growing industries in the US reports IBISWorld, an industry analysis firm."

The post continues to discuss an increase in hot sauce sales as interest in international cooking grows. Of course, for southern cooks, the interest in hot sauce is nothing new. But as the rest of the world learns to love it, it would be unwise not to take advantage of this growing market.  

To read the entire blog post, visit FarmBusiness.blogspot.com. 

Jerry Hingle
CEO and Executive Director
Southern United States Trade Association

West Virginia takes Landscaping to China - Jerry Hingle

Good morning,
Recently there's been very interesting activity in West Virginia, where landscaping has gone from being a hobby to becoming a billion dollar industry in China. For many West Virginia farmers, the Chinese market looks very promising, and we don't want to let that opportunity slide by. The Southern United States Trade Association, in conjunction with the state Department of Agriculture and the West Virginia Nursery and Landscape Association plans to host six Chinese agricultural company delegates to show them the value of W. Virginia green house technology.

"West Virginia has been making a name for itself with marketing and promotion of our farmers that have developed from local activities to full-blown industries," he [state Agriculture Commissioner Gus R. Douglass] said. "Some you see here [at Capitol Market] started out in the back of a pickup truck and now they have commercial greenhouses."

To read the rest of the article, visit WVGazette.com. 

Jerry Hingle
CEO and Executive Director
Southern United States Trade Association

Jerry Hingle on Exporting for Small Farmers

Our Executive Director, Jerry Hingle, was featured on TradingCharts.com in an interview about the difficulties farmers face when finding the right foreign market for their product. For many small farmers in the south, resources are limited, and the thought of exporting their goods to an unknown foreign market is intimidating. That's when Jerry Hingle proposes seeking SUSTA's help.

"Arkansas is in the middle of a "golden era" of agricultural exports, as its producers are finding markets throughout the world for products such as rice, poultry and cotton, as well as value-added products like sauces and condiments. He said the state has seen a 60 percent increase in exports over the past five years."

Mr. Hingle goes on to explain that China is the top export market for Arkansas:

"'They like our food,' he said, adding the regulations under which food is prepared and imported are more strict than those in place in China, resulting in a higher quality product. 'U.S. food is considered safe and is in demand.' He expects that demand to increase as China's middle class advances."

Read more from the article to learn about the benefits of exporting your small business at: Jerry Hingle on TradingCharts.com

USDA Study Highlights Latest Agricultural Trends by Jerry Hingle

The agricultural industry has changed greatly in recent years due to a variety of factors such as public policy, weather, and of course new technologies. The USDA completed a study to find out just what those changes are, and found trends along the way. 

Below are some key findings: 

"From 2004 to 2011, organic food sales more than doubled, from $11 billion to $25 billion, accounting for more than 3.5 percent of all food sales in 2011. In 2008, less than 1 percent of U.S. cropland, pastureland and rangeland were devoted to organic production. However, the percentages are higher for fruit and vegetable crops and for dairy production." 

"Corn, soybean and cotton growers have widely adopted genetically engineered herbicide-tolerant and insect-resistant seeds since 1996. Despite the higher cost for the genetically engineered seed, U.S. farmers are realizing the economic benefits from increased crop yields, lower pesticide costs and reduced management."

"In terms of 2010 dollars, real expenditures for and quantities of pesticide active ingredients declined by an average of 2.4 percent and 1.4 percent, respectively, per year during the years 1996-2007, even though expenditures and quantities applied increased from 2006 to 2007. However, herbicide use increased, with most of that attributed to glyphosate use on herbicide-tolerant crops." 

To learn more about some key findings, read the West Central Tribune's article here. 

Jerry Hingle
Executive Director
Southern United States Trade Association 

Southern Florida Is Ahead of the Curve - Jerry Hingle

Exports have increased by 20% for the state of Florida within the past year with fruit and vegetable exports reaching almost $800 million. But what is the cause for Florida's success?  

"Demand for U.S. food and agricultural products, including those from South Florida, continues to grow as the middle class in India and Southeast Asian countries expands and requires higher quality proteins and dairy..."  

"In South Florida, businesses have taken advantage of exporting through free trade agreements and are more adept at trading since a lot of business owners come from different countries..." 

Read more about how Florida is taking advantage of the growth overseas in this article featured in the South Florida Business Journal. 

Jerry Hingle 
CEO and Executive Director 
Southern United States Trade Association 

Louisiana Ranks 42 in Top States for Business 2012

Louisiana was scored on several measures of competitiveness, including cost of doing business, work force, quality of life, infrastructure and transportation, and technology and innovation.

The Southern United States Trade Association is working hard to make Louisiana a better state by encouraging small business owners to export their food and agriculture.

“We’re here to help American businesses take advantage of this trend by giving them the resources and guidance they need to market their products internationally,” said Jerry Hingle, CEO and Executive Director of SUSTA.

Read more about how SUSTA can offer program funds to help Louisiana:
Southern United States Trade Association Provides Export Funds

SUSTA Director Featured on WWL TV

In a news story broadcast by WWL TV in New Orleans, SUSTA Executive Director Jerry Hingle comments on the impact that the current unrest in Egypt may have on agricultural exports going to the region, and how this could affect U.S. exporters.

Getting Started Exporting Seminar

Getting started in importing and exporting can seem like an unknown universe. For Louisiana companies, there are resources here in New Orleans that can help get your questions answered. Wednesday, February 2, the World Trade Center of New Orleans will hold a seminar designed to teach you how to find international market research, prepare products for shipping, price your product for export, and more. Jerry Hingle, SUSTA’s Executive Director, will be speaking about federally funded programs to help small agricultural businesses take their business international. For more seminar information, click here; for information on SUSTA services click here.

Oklahoma Chef Blogs from SUSTA Pavilion at SIAL Paris

Chef Robert Black from Good Egg Dining Group blogged from France while demonstrating southern U.S. products in SUSTA's pavilion at SIAL 2010, The Global Food Marketplace. SUSTA's Executive Director Jerry Hingle attended the show, where 11 southern U.S. companies participated in the pavilion, showcasing over 50 products. Chef Black helped bring these products to life and attract more buyers to sample the items on display. Check out his videos and commentary here.

In 2011, SUSTA is planning to sponsor more than 80 Generic events like the pavilion at SIAL, Paris. Visit http://www.susta.org/ to find more opportunities to expand your business and bring the flavor of the south to the world.