Delegation Promotes Appalachian Exports to Latin America through U.S. Commerce “Trade Winds” Mission

In May 2014, executives representing 24 Appalachian firms and organizations participated in an Appalachia USA delegation to Trade Winds—The Americas, a U.S. Department of Commerce business development conference and trade mission focused on countries in South and Central America. Anchored in Bogota, Columbia, the Trade Winds event also featured side missions to Ecuador, Panama, Chile, and Peru.

Coordinated by the U.S. Commercial Service, the May 19–21 Trade Winds program drew nearly 200 attendees from around the world. Events featured a Pan-American business forum and consultations with senior Commercial Service officers representing markets throughout Latin America. The program also provided participants with the opportunity to conduct business-to-business meetings with potential clients and business partners in Panama, Ecuador, Columbia, Chile, and Peru.

In addition to participating in export-expansion activities at the forum, delegation trade officials from Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia were featured in a special "SelectUSA" program highlighting new and expanding international investment in their states. The federal SelectUSA program seeks to highlight the United States' advantages as a business and investment location.

This is the eighth consecutive year that ARC's Export Trade Advisory Council, through its Appalachia USA initiative, has participated in the Trade Winds program. Previous Appalachia USA delegations traveled to Istanbul, Turkey (2008); Warsaw, Poland (2009); Sao Paulo, Brazil, (2010); Mexico City (2011); Singapore (2012); and Seoul, Korea (2013).

The Trade Winds forum is a key component of the National Export Initiative to promote American products abroad. Under the initiative, American exports have grown to a record $2.3 trillion (2013), supporting 11.3 million American jobs.