Date/Time
Date(s) - 09/24/2024
10:00 am - 1:00 pm

Location
World Trade Center Harrisburg

Categories

• Events

Join us on September 24 for our Food Export Rountable and  learn about free and low cost services and grant opportunities available to small and medium sized value added food producers. Speakers from Food Export Northeast and the PA Department of Agriculture will provide an overview of their respective services and answer questions you may have.

Food Export Northeast  is one of four State Regional Trade Groups funded by the US Department of Agricultre and works with 10 States from Maine to Delaware.. The Mission is to empower small to medium sized businesses to promote their US food and beverage products internationally. There is a three tiered approach to helping the very beginner exporter to the most experience ones through:

• Export Education
• Market Entry
• Market Promotion

The PA Department of Agriculture offers many different programs and services, including:

• Agricultural Business Development Center
• Agricultural Marketing
• Agricultural Trade
• Beginning Farmers
• Financial Assistance
• Risk Management

Speakers:

Kristina Watson: Kristina has more than 20 years of experience in communications, government affairs and agriculture. As the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Trade Specialist, she creates and expands international trade opportunities for the industry. Kristina previously served as Deputy Press Secretary at the Department from 2003-05. Prior to rejoining the Department in 2022, Kristina spent 16 years at Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, the state’s largest general agriculture organization, where she held the positions of Community Outreach Director, Regulatory Reform Director and Commodity Specialist, and Director of Federal Government Affairs. As PFB’s principal federal lobbyist for nearly ten years, she advocated for rural and agricultural policies and managed a diverse issue portfolio including farm policy, trade, dairy, climate and sustainability, and labor. Kristina graduated magna cum laude from The George Washington University in Washington, DC, with a BA in international affairs. She also holds an MA with distinction in international communications from the University of Leeds in Leeds, United Kingdom.

Stephanie Shirk: As the Director of PDA’s Agriculture Business Development Center, Stephanie forges strategic partnerships and champions the value of business planning and growth initiatives within the agricultural sector. In her role at PDA, she also serves as the Division Chief for the Bureau of Market Development’s Economic Development Division. From growing up on a dairy farm in Nebraska, to her 20+ year career in the ag industry with the last seven years at Penn State Extension, Stephanie is passionate about advancing the agricultural industry while connecting rural and urban communities. She is a graduate of Millersville University of PA and holds a Master’s Degree from Penn State University’s SMEAL College of Business in Strategic Management and Executive Leadership with a focus in Corporate Innovation and Entrepreneurship. She is also an alum of the PA RULE (Rural-Urban Leadership) program and Leadership Lancaster. Stephanie and her husband Jim have three adult children and recently purchased their family farm becoming the 9^th generation owner-operators of Silver Valley Farm, a Lancaster County bicentennial family farm.

Deborah Ingravallo: Jersey girl born-and-raised in Burlington County where she currently resides. Upon graduation from Penn State University, she began her career in the Maritime Industry with NYK (Nippon Yusen Kaisha) Line and APL (American President Lines). Her experiences were in inside and outside sales covering the Liner services in export and import in the tradelanes of Asia, Europe, and Latin America. She was also an active volunteer with the World Trade Association of Philadelphia (WTA) serving on their Board and as their Treasurer. In August 2017, Deborah began her role as Liaison for Food Export USA – Northeast, working closely with the State Departments of Agriculture to assist businesses with the promotion and export their value-added agricultural product. She thoroughly enjoys this position as it enables her to work with businesses who are beginners in exporting to those with vast experience by suggesting the appropriate Programs and Services within Food Export.

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