Vilsack headlines first of ‘Made in Rural America’ forums
June 04, 2014 | 01:25 PM
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today headlined in Canonsburg, Pa., the first of what he said would be five “Made in Rural America” regional export forums organized under the White House Rural Council.
Today’s event with business owners and local leaders in the western Pennsylvania borough was hosted by the Appalachian Regional Commission.
The other four forums will be headlined by Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker, Small Business Administration Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet, Export-Import Bank Chairman Fred Hochberg, and Trade Representative Michael Froman.
Pritzker’s forum will be held in the Memphis region on July 18 and hosted by the Delta Regional Authority. Dates of the other events have not been announced.
At today’s forum, the Obama administration unveiled a web portal for rural businesses considering export opportunities at BusinessUSA.gov., a site that allows U.S. businesses to search aggregated business-related information and resources from 24 federal agencies, from starting a business to financing to exporting.
“In 2013, exported food and agricultural products topped a record-breaking $144 billion and supported nearly 1 million jobs,” Vilsack said.
“With the success of agricultural exports, we know that other rural businesses such as manufacturers, service providers, and value-added producers have much to offer the world market and the ability to grow and create jobs when their exports are increased,” he said. “Working together we can help grow rural America's economic potential."
▪ BusinessUSA.gov
▪ — Rural Exporting
▪ White House — Fact Sheet: Establishing a New ‘Made in Rural America’ Export and Investment Initiative
Today’s event with business owners and local leaders in the western Pennsylvania borough was hosted by the Appalachian Regional Commission.
The other four forums will be headlined by Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker, Small Business Administration Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet, Export-Import Bank Chairman Fred Hochberg, and Trade Representative Michael Froman.
Pritzker’s forum will be held in the Memphis region on July 18 and hosted by the Delta Regional Authority. Dates of the other events have not been announced.
At today’s forum, the Obama administration unveiled a web portal for rural businesses considering export opportunities at BusinessUSA.gov., a site that allows U.S. businesses to search aggregated business-related information and resources from 24 federal agencies, from starting a business to financing to exporting.
“In 2013, exported food and agricultural products topped a record-breaking $144 billion and supported nearly 1 million jobs,” Vilsack said.
“With the success of agricultural exports, we know that other rural businesses such as manufacturers, service providers, and value-added producers have much to offer the world market and the ability to grow and create jobs when their exports are increased,” he said. “Working together we can help grow rural America's economic potential."
▪ BusinessUSA.gov
▪ — Rural Exporting
▪ White House — Fact Sheet: Establishing a New ‘Made in Rural America’ Export and Investment Initiative
