The Kansas Department of Agriculture is seeking individuals to participate in an agricultural trade mission to Mexico. This mission will send Kansans who have an interest in exporting corn, distillers grains and ethanol to Mexico in an effort to increase market opportunities for Kansas farmers and agribusinesses. Tentative travel dates are March 24-30, 2017.

Participants of this trade mission will interact with international agricultural representatives to promote the use of Kansas ethanol, corn and corn by-products. Kansas corn farmers and agribusinesses specializing in distillers grains and ethanol production are encouraged to apply.

Selected participants will be eligible for travel stipends for airfare and hotel and will receive a per diem for meals. Participants will be responsible for the cost of other incidental expenses.

In 2015, Mexico imported nearly $842 million in agriculture products from Kansas, making them our number one commodity trade partner. KDA strives to encourage and enhance economic growth of the agriculture industry and the Kansas economy by exploring and expanding both domestic and international marketing opportunities.

For more information on the trade mission to Mexico, including instructions on how to apply and application requirements, go to agriculture.ks.gov/international, or contact Suzanne Ryan-Numrich at suzanne.numrich@ks.gov or 785-564-6704. Deadline for submitting applications for consideration is Friday, Jan. 20, 2017.

This trade mission is funded in part by the State Trade Expansion Program grant. The STEP grant is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration, and helps Kansas non-exporters to get started and existing exporters to export more.