January 9, 2007

LANSING - The Food Export Association of the Midwest USA (Food Export-Midwest) and the Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) today announced the launch of the Branded Program for 2008 -- a cost-share service assisting small Michigan suppliers to promote their brand name food and agricultural products in foreign markets.

The Branded Program, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service, enables Michigan suppliers to stretch their international marketing dollars twice as far, grow their exporting business; and thereby increasing export opportunities for small food and agricultural U.S. suppliers. The program began January 1, 2008, and ends December 31, 2008.

Once approved, participants receive 50 percent cost reimbursement on certain eligible marketing and promotional endeavors such as attending international and approved domestic tradeshows, advertising, public relations, in-store promos, product demonstrations, product literature, freight cost for samples, and packaging and label modification.

Midwest participants collectively receive close to 5 million dollars annually in reimbursements. Food Export Association of the Midwest USA provides important funding assistance to help expand the demand for U.S. food and agricultural products across the globe. Food Export Association of the Midwest USA is a private, non-profit association of Midwestern state agricultural promotion agencies that use federal, state, and industry resources to promote the export of Midwestern food and agricultural products.

For more information on the Branded Program or to obtain a pre-qualification worksheet, please visit www.brandedprogram.org or contact Jamie Zmitko-Somers, MDA International Marketing Manager, at 517-241-3628.