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

Moms on the Farm

A group of wives and mothers in the farming industry hosted a first-ever agricultural event called Moms on the Farm: an initiative to spread awareness on the struggles of everyday Arkansas farmers. With so many small farms closing, the event was created to show Americans the amount of effort and dedication it takes to run a farm and produce our food.

"Our goal was to put the places and faces on agricultre. To make us more than the faceless factory farms that agriculture is always perceived to be..."
         -- Janeal Yancey, Ph.D, Meat Scientist U of A Division of Agriculture




We hope to see more initiatives like this unfold.

Jerry Hingle
CEO and Executive Director
Southern United States Trade Association

Fresh from Florida: Corn Recipes

The southern U.S. is known for the abundance of fresh fruits and veggies, among them is corn. And while Florida is most famous for their citrus, tall stalks of corn can be found growing in the sunshine state. This holiday season, whether you're buying from Florida or not, try serving local corn at your holiday get together. Here's a great cooking lesson from FreshfromFlorida:

Magic Seasoning Sees Success with SUSTA

A recent story by WDSU News covered Magic Seasoning, a company owned by chef Paul Prudhomme and its success nationally and internationally. The company, located in southeast Louisiana, is finding much success in exporting and expanding their reach to more and more countries. SUSTA received recognition as a major part of Magic Seasoning's export success.

"Anna Zuniga, Magic Seasoning's director of international sales and marketing, said SUSTA's assistance has been vital for its export process....""Otherwise, we wouldn't be able to afford it," said Zuniga. "It's a huge expense but they reimburse 50 percent [for travel], so that's a great help.""

We at SUSTA are thrilled to be part of a great success story like Magic Seasoning. Watch the report here at WDSU.com. To learn how you can receive help for exporting activities, visit SUSTA's Services page. 

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

Infographic: SUSTA MAP Branded Program from Start to Finish

The MAP Branded Program can seem confusing to those who have never participated before. There are many steps involved in the application alone, and more steps to follow once you are accepted. However, the program's benefits and funding far outweigh the initial confusion. Don't be overwhelmed by the process, instead, refer to this infographic to help you stay on target and reap the benefits of being a MAP Branded Program participant. This infographic explains the program from start to finish.

For more details, visit SUSTA's MAP Branded Process page.

New Video: How to Evaluate a Distributor

In our last video, we showed you the various ways exporters can find importers, distributors and agents. But once you find a distributor, how do you know if they are right for your company? SUSTA has you covered.

Our next video shows you what you need to know in order to properly evaluate your distributor before hiring them. Grab a pen and notepad, and take notes!



For more detailed information on what to look for in a distributor, visit our website:
Evaluating a Distributor | SUSTA.org

Southern United States Trade Association Honored by the USDA

Here at SUSTA, we're always striving to make a difference in the lives of small business owners and farmers in the hopes of creating a stronger southern economy. Day after day our team works hard to help these small businesses flourish, and we are rewarded when we see southern products become successful in overseas markets, and when our efforts are recognized. We are very proud to say that our efforts were recognized this month by the USDA.

"The Southern United States Trade Association (SUSTA) recently was awarded the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s “Secretary’s Honor Award,” the highest award granted by the department, for its role in helping small businesses increase exports of American food and agriculture." – HeraldOnline.com

This is the first year that we received an honor such as this, and we are very excited to uphold this recognition by working harder than ever. If you'd like to be a part of this great success, visit our page About the Southern United States Trade Association to learn about all our activities.  

 
Jerry Hingle
Executive Director and CEO
Southern United States Trade Association 

Read more here: http://www.heraldonline.com/2012/10/15/4338773/southern-us-trade-association.html#storylink=cpy"

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

Infographic: Overview of the MAP Branded Program

The MAP Branded program can be a little confusing to those who've never encountered it. That's why the Southern United States Trade Association developed an infographic to visually simplify the program and help you to understand eligibility requirements, costs of participating, and funding details.

Browse more on Visual.ly.

If you believe you meet all the requirements, and are ready to apply for the MAP Branded Program, visit the MAP Application to get started. Starting August 1st, SUSTA is accepting applications for the 2013 program year.

Or, if you're not quite ready and still want to learn more about this program, visit the MAP Branded program's Frequently Asked Questions page.

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 

Latest Food Manufacturing News: The FDA Cracks Down

This past week, the Food and Drug Administration issued many warning letters to food manufacturers across the U.S. Some of which include Henrys Farms in Virginia, who had a problem with sprout production, and Chu Minh Corp. in Seattle, a tofu manufacturer who received a warning letter because of "insanitary conditions."

The agency was most concerned with the presence of live birds, insects, and both live and dead rodents in the production areas. They received a 7 page warning letter that addressed each concern. The FDA is cracking down on many food manufacturing companies; it is extremely important that you follow all regulations concerning production, labeling, and sanitation. To familiarize yourself with these regulations, visit the FDA website.

"Food companies that receive warning letters are generally given 15 days to respond to issues raised by the FDA. Sometimes, if the government and the food company reach agreement on how to handle all the issues raised, the FDA will post a "close-out" letter on its website." To read more about which companies received letters this past week, read the article from Food Safety News.

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