File PhotoSouth Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard is announcing the representatives who will be accompanying him on a trade mission to China.
Representatives from 15 businesses and agricultural groups have been selected to join Daugaard and other South Dakota officials on the trip to China. The Governor's Office of Economic Development says 28 businesses applied for the trade mission.
The trade mission is April 5-12. Daugaard made the trip last year from March 24 to March 29.
"Exporting is vital to growing South Dakota's economy," Gov. Daugaard said in a news release. "I'm pleased that so many South Dakota companies have expressed an interest in the trade mission."
The trade mission to China is made possible through a State Trade and Export Promotion grant awarded to South Dakota by the Small Business Administration.
The following applicants were selected for the China trade mission:
- AgSense LLC, Huron
- Dakota Style, Clark
- Klock Werks Kustom Cycles, Mitchell
- Lankota Group, Huron
- Larson Cable Trailers, Huron
- Millennium Recycling, Sioux Falls
- Orion Food Systems, Sioux Falls
- Raven Industries, Sioux Falls
- RPM & Associates, Rapid City
- South Dakota Corn Growers Association
- South Dakota Pork Producers
- South Dakota Soybean Association
- Sterling Technologies, Sioux Falls
- Terex Bid-Well, Canton
- UltiMed, Inc., De Smet
The trade mission offers an opportunity to increase state exports to China and create jobs in South Dakota. Preference was given to companies in the agricultural, manufacturing, biosciences, professional business services and energy industries.
Pat Costello, Commissioner of the Governor's Office of Economic Development, and South Dakota Agriculture Secretary Walt Bones are representing their departments on the trade mission.
One participating company, Orion Food Systems, has been searching for ways to enter the China market, but the costs were too prohibitive. After reviewing the goals, Steve Watkins, President of Orion Food Systems, said it was a perfect fit for Orion to take advantage of the opportunity.
