International Delegation Will be Looking for Trade, Research, Partners

By Mark Anderson – Staff Writer, Sacramento Business Journal

An international delegation for entrepreneurship and innovation will tour Northern California this fall, ending with a week-long tour of Davis and Sacramento to study advanced food and agricultural business ecosystems.

The tour will also focus on innovation, science and research, said Trish Kelly, managing director of the local research and advocacy group Valley Vision. “This is food and ag in a big sense.”

This is the first time the Americas Competitiveness Exchange has visited Northern California. The 50 members of its tour group will include government ministers, academics and entrepreneurs looking to forge trade, business ties and research partnerships, she said.

“These events are very focused on outcomes. They want to make connections,” Kelly said.

The tour group will include members from Canada, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and South America, as well as Germany and Israel.

The University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, which is based in Davis, is a primary sponsor of the tour, along with Valley Vision.

Some of the highlights of the local tour will be the University of California Davis, the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Sciences and Golden 1 Center, as well as some local food companies, beverage purveyors and briefings on local food systems, Kelly said.

Read full article on the Sacramento Business Journal website.