TDA Awarded $600,000 For Global Trade Effort (9/20/2018)

COMMISSIONER SID MILLER ACCEPTS MAJOR GRANT FOR AGENCY'S GLOBAL TRADE EFFORT
U.S. Small Business Administration provides $600,000 to TDA to expand trade

(AUSTIN) Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller accepted a grant for $600,000 from the State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) of the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of International Trade this week. The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) will use the funding to expand export-related activities of small businesses in Texas and increase export dollars earned by those companies.

“This is great news for Texas businesses interested in selling to the world,” said Commissioner Miller. “If your business is ready to step onto the world stage, then the Texas Department of Agriculture is ready to help. Come talk with us.”

The U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of International Trade is thrilled to be partnering with the State of Texas, specifically, the Texas Department of Agriculture with the STEP program,” said Alale Allal, Regional Export Trade Manager for the SBA Office of International Trade. “The partnership helps to provide financial awards to assist small businesses with export development. The great State of Texas continues to be a supporter of the program and Texas exporters have benefited from the program as a result.”

To encourage companies to enter new international markets, the STEP Program will provide Export Stipends to eligible businesses for approved export activities.

In addition, STEP funding will be used for two international trade missions hosted by the Texas Governor’s Office of Economic Development and Tourism. These visits will bring Texas businesses face-to-face with foreign buyers at trade events across the globe.

With much of today’s news focused on international trade, the STEP grant is even more significant as Texas remains America’s biggest exporter by far. The STEP grant will help sustain Texas’ strong performance in the global marketplace by encouraging the export of everything from airplanes to barbecue.

Since the beginning of the STEP program seven years ago, approximately $138 million in grants have been awarded to fund export opportunities and increase the footprint of small businesses in countries all over the world.

TDA has earned a reputation as a global advocate for Texas products and services. Since taking office in 2015, Commissioner Miller has directed a major effort to market Texas across the globe, including trade visits to every continent except Antarctica.

Additionally, the TDA GO TEXAN marketing program, with its iconic logo in the shape of Texas, is world-renowned for its success in promoting the best products, companies and communities that call Texas home.

For additional information on STEP, please contact the TDA Grants Office at Grants@TexasAgriculture.gov.

The Texas Legislature established the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) in 1907. Today the agency’s mission is to promote production agriculture, Texas products and businesses, protect Texas consumers, and support healthy food and nutrition in Texas schools. Sid Miller was elected in 2014 as the 12th Texas Agriculture Commissioner.