^2003 Trade Skows 



Specialty Food Industry 



22-24 Aug Billings Market Association 



24-26 Oct Billings Market Association 



Equipment and Packapng 



31-3 Aug/Sep Hotel Australia 

 5-8 Sep NAFEM 2003 



Grocery & Convenience Store Industry 



29-3 Aug/Sep Fine Food Australia 

 31-3 Aug/Sep Supermarket Australia 



Billings, MT 

 BiUings, MT 



Sydney, AUS 

 New Orleans, LA 



Sydney, AUS 

 Sydney, AUS 



406-652-6132 

 406-652-6132 



+613-9261-4500 

 312-245-1054 



+613-9261-4500 

 +613-9261-4500 



Gift & specialU' food items. 

 Gift & specialt}' food items. 



Hotel and restaurant equipment. 

 Food service equipment. 



Food and beverage. 

 Supermarket and C-store. 



Other Events 



15 July 



11-14 Aug 



14 Aug 



14 Aug 



19 Aug 



• Wnting a Business Plan 

 Ag Development Council Mtg. 

 Evaluating a Business Idea 

 Marketing By The Numbers 

 Evaluatmg a Busmess Idea 



Missoula, MT 

 Sidney, MT 

 Hamilton, MT 

 Hamilton, MT 

 Missoula, MT 



SBDC Traimng. 



Growth Through Agiculture Meetmg. 



SBDC Training. 



SBDC Training. 



SBDC Training. 



Financial Deadlines 



luly 31 GTA Investment App. Deadline* 



|ulv 31 Trade Show Assistance App. Deadline* 



MT Dept. Agnculture 406-444-2402 

 MT Dept. Agnculture 406-444-2402 



^'alue-added financial assistance. 

 Financial assistance to attend shows. 



*Please contact the Montana Department of Agriculture for more information. 



+For international calls, please contact your local telephone company for dialing information. 



+For website information about each trade show, please refer to the Deptment's website at www.agr.state.mt.us . 



Countri] ol Origin Labeling Listening Session Held in Billing 



The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) hosted the eighth of twelve listening sessions on Country of Origin Labeling 

 (COOL) in Billings, Montana on Friday, June 6, 2003. Listening sessions were held across the country to provide all 

 segments of the agricultural industry with an opportunity to comment on how USDA should best implement the COOL law 

 which was part of the 2002 Farm Bill. 



Under the COOL provision, covered commodities include muscle cuts of beef, lamb and pork, fish, fresh fruits and 

 vegetables, and peanuts. Currendy, the provision is voluntary, but after September 30, 2004, retailers will be required to 

 provide mformation to consumers as to the origin of those covered commodities. 



In announcing the Listening sessions, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman said the intention of the forums was to 

 educate the pubUc about the law and to seek additional ideas about how best to implement COOL without an "undue 

 burden" on producers, processors and grocers. 



Montana Department of Agriculture Director Ralph Peck noted, "We have been following the process closely to make 

 certain that the law is implemented in a way that meets the needs of producers and the nation without creating a huge 

 amount of paperwork." 



Approximately 90 people signed up to testif}' at the BiUings hearing, but due to time constraints, only 66 individuals spoke. 

 Transcripts of oral and written testimony from each listening session wiU be available in coming mondis on the USDA 

 website at www.ams.usda.gov/cool. 



For more information about die Listening sessions, see the USDA website, or contact Misti PUster, livestock marketing officer 

 at the Montana Department of Agriculture at (406) 444-2402, or by email at agr@state.mt.us. 



STATE DOCUMENTS COLLECTION 



"'' ^3 2003 



HFI FNA MO'iTAWA 5900 



j.iis|lj nsijM Ja^ilcjvs l|njcs 'lic*!lins ^H'W '"""D MiJ"S 

 )3il|3 iin.\ina -^iJcluj jilajg 



jjEJs 3uija5(jBiM 



>)D3a l|dlKH - J0).13J!(I 



sniuJ3)!;iS(B)jSt::|!Ciu-o 



ct7t'6-t'1't'(90t'):>"''j 'c0fc-t't't'(90t-) 



0CT6e IW ■v.uopH 'lOcOOc ^■■oa Od 



UO|SIAI(] 1U3U1(J013A3Q Djn)|n.iij3v 



3jni|n3u3vjo idoQ cuouoiaj 



311) ^'■\ pJMSi|qnd si 



rui;)uoi/\j p.ippv-'inpjv 



1.020-02969 IIAI 'BU8|eH 



1.02003 xog Qd 



uoisjAjQ jueaido|aA8a 8Jn}|nou6v 



ejnnnoij6vio luatuyedea bubiuoi/\| 



