Indiana Ag Connection - Celebrate Trees at Indiana State Fair

Indiana Ag News Headlines

Celebrate Trees at Indiana State Fair
Indiana Ag Connection - 07/30/2008

2008 is the Indiana State Fair's "Year of the Trees!" While many Hoosiers are familiar with corn or soybeans as one of Indiana's commodity crops, most are not as familiar with the $17 billion economic impact of Indiana's hardwoods industry.

So, how does exporting hardwood lumber and products help Indiana?

Tree or sustainable logging export hardwood lumber and products to an overseas company for further processing or sold to an Indiana company for further processing then exported or sold to consumers globally or domestically ? sold to consumers globally or domestically

Governor Daniels and Lt. Governor Skillman have led a total of 7 trade missions, with 3 of those agriculturally-focused trade missions. They recognize that 96 percent of all consumers live outside of the United States, which makes foreign trade fundamental to the growth and revitalization of Indiana's economy.

International trade has been identified by the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) as an important source for market growth for Indiana food and agricultural companies. A large amount of Indiana food and agricultural products are already exported, with an estimated $2 billion of agricultural exports in 2006, ranking Indiana 10th among the 50 states. Agricultural exports help boost farm prices and income, while supporting about 24,200 jobs both on the farm and off the farm in food processing, storage, and transportation. Exports remain important to Indiana's agricultural and statewide economy (Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Ag Service).

Agricultural-focused trade missions have visited Panama, Guatemala, and Costa Rica; Taiwan and Vietnam; and Mexico. ISDA has also taken part in four Governor-led trade missions to Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Each of these trade missions has resulted in new market opportunities and sales for the Indiana agriculture industry.

The Daniels Administration's first Trade Mission occurred in 2005. Trade missions achieved the following: Provide market growth opportunities for Indiana businesses, Increase Indiana agricultural exports therefore supporting Hoosier job growth, and Connect Indiana businesses to overseas customers

The trade missions have resulted in the purchase of millions of dollars of Indiana corn, soybeans, hardwood products, lumber and swine, in addition the development of valuable relationships. Trade has increased for Indiana's hardwood industry exports. According to the U.S. Census Department, Indiana had $253 million in hardwood exports in 2006, which is a 21 percent increase over 2005 exports of $208 million. Since 2001, exports of wood products originating from Indiana have grown by 42 percent.

ISDA has worked to promote Indiana hardwoods through trade missions to Japan and Korea (June 2006), Taiwan and Vietnam (October 2006), German and the United Kingdom (May 2007), India (September 2007), Dubai (February 2008), and Vietnam (March 2008).