Native American products to be showcased on world stage
S.D. Trade, Biotech join forces ahead of trip to Asia; trade group announces strategic plan
South Dakota’s top trade organization will look to bring Native American products to international markets.
That’s part of the South Dakota Trade Association’s 2024 South Dakota State Export Strategy, which was formally adopted this week by the nonprofit's steering committee.
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“South Dakota has a large Native American population, and increased collaboration with them will enhance exports of Native American products and services,” reads the nine-page strategy report released Thursday by South Dakota Trade. “Additionally, the entire state of South Dakota is designated as rural, and there is a significant focus on increasing opportunities for rural small and medium businesses.”
According to the strategy report, South Dakota Trade will use its resources, including more than $1 million in funds through the Governor’s Office of Economic Development, to connect not only Native American and tribal-owned businesses with foreign buyers but also highlight the state’s economic prowess in the financial markets by portraying the state as a financial hub in foreign markets.
Along with its newly adopted strategy, South Dakota Trade this week also announced it's partnering with South Dakota Biotech to send delegations of businesses to Taiwan and Japan this summer as part of trade missions.
South Dakota Trade President and CEO Luke J. Lindberg told The Dakota Scout that businesses participating in the trips will get first-hand connections with Asian markets in the bio and pharmatech, food and food tech, packaging, and hospitality and catering industries.
“Our best chance to sell more South Dakotan products overseas happens when we put willing buyers and willing sellers in the same room,” he said.
The opportunity to be part of the delegation is open to any South Dakota company involved in those industries looking to expand into Asian markets. And interested companies can apply to have their travel costs and trade show entry fees covered with State Trade Expansion Program grant funds available through South Dakota Trade.
Joni Ekstrum, Executive Director of South Dakota Biotech, said the STEP grants and the trade missions are an invaluable resource for South Dakota businesses.
“South Dakota Trade is proving to be an invaluable resource for our biotech companies,” Ekstrum said. “The state’s export strategy specifically calls for increasing trade activity in East Asia, and we’re proud to partner with them on reaching this important market.”
One more comment, we have Noem telling us that the Chinese are buying up America, and these guys are like hey we still have this bit to sell you.
Once our dollar collapses, which it will because of mismanagement since we left the gold standard, we will be begging China for grain at 6x the price
Don’t we need to sell it inside South Dakota before we sell it overseas to our enemies. China is buying up gold and grain from all over the world. They know that an army runs on its stomach.
I haven’t seen any of these products available in our stores and I have lived here for over 40 years.
If this is a case where these products are new or there is some reason why I can’t find them in a store, then I would like to know that.
If this is a publicity stunt to appease the Native Americans, which I believe is the case, then once again you’re missing the point.