Referral Information

The State Regional Trade Groups (SRTG) are four regionally located, non-profit trade development organizations that help U.S. food producers and processors sell their products overseas. The SRTG's are funded by USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), the State Departments of Agriculture and private industry They carry out promotional activities that increase exports of U.S. high-value food and agricultural products. Activities of the organizations are directed by the State Departments of Agriculture, state agricultural promotion agencies, and coordinated with FAS' Washington and country offices overseas, and include: International trade exhibitions, overseas trade missions, reverse trade missions, export education, in-country research, and point-of-sale promotions in foreign food chains and restaurants in markets around the world. The SRTG's also administer a cost-share funding program called the Brand program, that supports promotion of brand name food and agricultural products in overseas markets. The SRTG's include: the Food Export Association of the Midwest U.S.A. (formerly MIATCO) in Chicago, Illinois, Western U.S. Agricultural Trade Association (WUSATA), in Vancouver, Washington, the Southern U.S. Trade Association (SUSTA) in New Orleans, Louisiana, and the Food Export USA (FoodExport USA NE) in the Northeast.