For the second consecutive year, The Northwest Seaport Alliance hosted a record-breaking Agriculture Transportation Coalition Annual Meeting.

Nearly 500 attendees representing companies that import and export food, farm and fiber products gathered at the Greater Tacoma Convention Center, June 11 to 14, to discuss critical issues related to exporting their products to international markets. Speakers addressed topics ranging from tariffs to trucker shortages to port operations. This meeting is the largest gathering of agriculture and forest products transportation professionals in the U.S.

With support from City of Tacoma, Pierce County and Economic Development Board of Tacoma-Pierce County, the NWSA showcased the region’s natural beauty and advantages for international agricultural cargo. This year’s activities included a boat cruise of Commencement Bay, tours of the NWSA’s South Harbor facilities in Tacoma and a reception for attendees. In 2018, this event generated nearly $500,000 in business sales and $15,000 in local tax revenue. Similar impacts are expected for the 2019 event. 

“We appreciate the generous support from the city, county and the NWSA to ensure our meeting was a success,” said Peter Friedmann, executive director of the AgTC. “The location, venues and resource support were tremendous. We feel truly welcomed in Tacoma. The NWSA has been a great partner to the AgTC and its members. This gateway understands the importance of ag exports, demonstrated by its focus on initiatives that reduce cost and increase efficiency in the export supply chain.”

The Northwest Seaport Alliance is the top export gateway for containerized agricultural and wood products and refrigerated cargo in the U.S. The value of agricultural and forest products exported through NWSA terminal topped $8.5 billion in 2018, comprising more than 52 percent of the gateway’s containerized exports by value. About 62 percent of these exports were destined for China, Japan and other north Asian countries, but they also went to 148 countries around the world.

Find more information about AgTC’s annual meeting, and learn more about visiting the South Sound region.

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