MANHATTAN, Kan. – Leaders from five state departments of agriculture and 26 U.S. agribusinesses and organizations accompanied United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden on a mission to Africa from November 16-20. The purpose of the trip was to expand export opportunities for U.S. food and agricultural products in that market.

Accompanying Deputy Secretary Harden was Steve Baccus, international trade representative at the Kansas Department of Agriculture. "This was a phenomenal opportunity to meet with nearly 150 companies from eleven African countries and talk about what they need to grow their economies and improve the lives of their consumers," said Baccus.

The mission included 22 U.S. companies and four U.S. agricultural commodity trade associations representing a variety of agricultural products including grains and feeds, peanuts, soybeans, meat and poultry products, agricultural machinery, and more. The delegation met with potential customers from several countries across Sub-Saharan Africa, developing relationships and learning about the market conditions and business environment in the area. Leaders from the Arkansas, Nebraska, North Carolina and Texas departments of agriculture were also on the trip.

"This is a rapidly growing region with a middle class that is expanding and beginning to demand a diet higher in protein and with more consumer ready products,” said Baccus. “Kansas is uniquely positioned to help these countries meet their goals."

With a strong economic outlook, a growing middle class, and surging demand for consumer-oriented foods, sub-Saharan Africa is one of the fastest-growing regions for U.S. agricultural exports. Over the past decade, U.S. agricultural exports to the region have grown by more than 50 percent, totaling $2.3 billion in 2014. Exports of consumer-oriented products have grown by nearly 90 percent in just five years, from $480 million in 2010 to a record $909 million in 2014.

In 2015, KDA led six outbound and 11 inbound missions. Trade missions like these help open doors and deliver results for U.S. exporters, giving them the opportunity to forge relationships with potential customers and foreign government officials, as well as gather market intelligence that will help develop strategies to expand sales in key markets overseas.

KDA is committed to providing an environment that encourages economic growth of the agriculture industry and serving Kansas farmers, ranchers, agribusiness and the consumers they serve.