Value Added Processing Committee Meeting 2-13-13

Minutes of 2/13/13 KLR Group 5: Value Added Processing Committee

Members Present: Alison Kiesz, Terri LaBrie, Bob Weyrich, Carolyn Rudebusch, Lester Moeller, Keith Underwood, Katie Hendrickson, Krystal Smit, and Cheri Rath.

Members Absent: Brad Bonhorst

Katie Hendrickson, Paulson Marketing, indicated that Alicia DeGeest has removed herself from the Committee and Katie and Krystal Smit will be taking her place on the committee.

Chairman of the Committee, Bob Weyrich, discussed the purpose of this 2^nd meeting to discuss the objectives and action items from the 1^st meeting.  All committee members were to get Brad Bonhorst a list of resources and financing for value added projects and potential gaps in those resources.

Bob discussed the email he sent out earlier today regarding a good start to these resources.  Discussion was held on additions to these resources and the lists we came up with for resources and financing:

Market development resources:

·        Commodity groups and their international networks

·        Food Export Association of the Midwest and their contractor network

·        USDA and the network of international posts and personnel (Ag Trade Offices and Attache’)

·        State Department of Agriculture

·        SD Value Added Ag Development Center

·        Northern Crops Institute

·        Food Processing Center

·        SD Universities and Colleges

·        SDSU Extension

·        Enterprise Institute

·        American Association of Meat Processors

·        FFA and High School Vo-Ag programs

·        Co-Ops and private sector businesses

·        Marketing Firms

·        Ag United

Funding Resources available are:

·        SD Department of Ag and loan programs and specialist assistance;

·        SD Department of Ag grant programs like SCBG

·        GOED

·        SD Value Added Ag Development Center

·        SBA

·        Ex-Im Bank

·        Private Banks

·        Private Investment/Venture Capital

·        USDA grants and Loans/Rural Development

·        Val-Ad Services / Local Development Corp

·        Relatives

Discussions regarding a resource directory for whom to get help from at certain stages of a project.  This could be on the SDDA website, etc.

There’s a need to come up with a consistent message and then get this out in the public through press releases/communication staff, etc. as well as the resource directory.

Action plan for the next meeting will be to get the resources to Brad Bonhorst to complete the directory.  We got a good start at this meeting, but perhaps once we take in this new information, we can add to this list.

Another action item is for all committee members to be thinking of a consistent message and bring ideas to the next meeting.  The SDDA started a new livestock campaign which uses the tag line, “It’s time to grow in South Dakota”.  Maybe we can use this or a part of this to get all resources in ag – whether commodity groups, etc – to use this message or a part of this message in their marketing to promote value added.

Who is our target market for this message and what is the message going to be.

Next meeting will be early to mid-March and Alison will follow the same format with the survey to schedule this next conference call meeting.

Meeting Adjourned.