Food Export USA brought together state agriculture leaders, federal partners, U.S. suppliers and international market experts for its 2026 Fall State Member Meeting, held Oct. 7-8 in Chicago under the theme “Homegrown & Succeeding Abroad.”
“At its heart, Food Export is about people helping small- to mid-sized businesses succeed,” said Brendan Wilson, CEO of Food Export. “When we bring together the expertise of our state and federal partners, our staff and the businesses we serve, we create opportunities that no one organization could accomplish alone.”
The meeting opened with Wilson’s reflections on the organization’s mission, followed by remarks from Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection Secretary Randy Romanski and a presentation from USDA Foreign Agricultural Service international trade specialist Ammara Bokhari on the importance of agricultural exports and the role of partnerships in developing the next generation of U.S. exporters.
A growth and outreach panel moderated by chief growth officer Trish James explored how Food Export is strengthening supplier recruitment, export readiness and marketing, with the International Marketing Program and Branded Program teams highlighting work in export education, targeted buyer engagement and importer relationships. State members and staff also held collaborative discussions on shared trade priorities and multistate coordination heading into 2027.
A new supplier perspectives panel, moderated by Food Export’s Liaison Coordinator Edwin Olivieri, featured Sonat Birnecker Hart of Chicago-based Koval Distillery, Nicole Gordon of Nikigo Sauce and Tom Morse of Zolli Candy – three distinct export journeys illustrating how companies at different stages benefit from market development, buyer connections and ongoing support.
“Every supplier has a different starting point, different challenges and different ambitions,” Wilson said. “Our responsibility is to listen, understand what they need and connect them with the people and opportunities that can move their business forward.”
The second day featured senior advisor for market intelligence Dennis Lynch on trade policy developments, economic conditions and emerging export opportunities, along with an in-market representative discussion moderated by IMP manager Ben Cortese on international buyer relationships and market trends.
Food Export COO Michelle Rogowski closed the meeting with a look at how the organization is streamlining the experience for exporters and state partners.
Food Export–Midwest and Food Export–Northeast are nonprofits that partner with the agricultural promotion agencies of 23 member states to support U.S. exporters, funded through the Market Access Program administered by USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service.
Related: Food Export USA Program To Help MW, NE Cos. Grow Abroad