Keep up with inbound and outbound delegations from around the globe and what they mean for STL
UK Delegation
The World Trade Center St. Louis (WTC) is planning a delegation visit on February 4th, 2020 from Agri-Tech East, a UK agtech membership organization with links to Cambridge University. The purpose of their visit will be to tour St. Louis’ agtech capabilities. The delegation will be funded by the British government.
Because St. Louis, dubbed the Ag Coast of America, is located in the heart of US agricultural production, The Missouri Agri-Tech Connect Program has been created through the Missouri Partnership and Agri-Tech East. The program will provide a gateway for UK businesses to the St. Louis agri-food ecosystem.
“Nearly 50% of US crop and livestock production is located with 500 miles of St. Louis, so this is a good launch point for companies looking to engage with US food production,” said Tim Nowak, Executive Director of WTC.
Nowak says the St. Louis agcluster’s vibrant grower communities, innovation centers, international ag and food corporations and centers of plant science research offers a wealth of opportunities for collaborative projects.
“We see many synergies with the membership of Agri-Tech East and so are keen to broker one-on-one meetings and create networking opportunities to support innovation and productivity within the two clusters,” said Mark Sutherland, CMO of Missouri Partnership.
Janet Wilding, Vice President of 39 North and Major Projects at St. Louis Economic Development Partnership, is excited to continue working with Agri-Tech East and sharing 39 North’s innovative district with them.
“Welcoming Agritech East to St. Louis is a continuation of 39N’s visit last February to the UK with the World Trade Center-STL,” Wilding said. “We shared ideas, best practices and our mutual interest in global food security through the promotion of increased agricultural productivity. We have much to learn from each other.”
Agri-Tech East has helped facilitate the rapid growth of an agri-tech cluster across the east of England. Its membership includes national and international corporations.
“We were delighted to welcome a delegation from St. Louis earlier this year to Cambridge and the idea of a trade mission seemed a natural progression, “said Agri-Tech East Director Dr. Belinda Clarke. “The region supports a number of multinational ag-food corporations as well as an early adopter of grower network, and this type of diversity offers considerable opportunities for entrepreneurial businesses.”
The agtech cluster initiative is overseen by a highly collaborative partnership with BioSTL and Donald Danforth Plant Science Center as core industry organizations and the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership (regional EDO) as a key partner.
The St. Louis agtech cluster was originally defined by key corporations and universities: Monsanto (now Bayer) and Bunge as well as institutions like Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, the Missouri Botanical Garden, and Washington University (along with other regional universities, including the University of Missouri in Columbia).
COMING UP:
- Central American Delegation
- Dutch and European Delegations
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