March 13, 2007

LANSING, Mich. - Looking to showcase your business to hundreds of buyers? The Michigan Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) Select Michigan Program is seeking Michigan food and agriculture companies to showcase their products at a special Select Michigan Pavilion at the 2008 Associated Food & Petroleum Dealers, Inc. (AFPD) Annual Trade Show being held April 28-29, 2008 at Rock Financial Showplace in Novi.

The AFPD Annual Trade Show is a selling trade show attracting buyers from convenience stores, supermarkets, specialty stores, drug stores, bars, restaurants, and service stations featuring two days with 10 hours of uninterrupted selling.

MDA’s Select Michigan Program is offering exhibit space within the pavilion to Michigan food processors, specialty food companies, and other food and agriculture businesses at a discounted rate. The deadline for reserving booth space is Friday, March 21.

“Thanks to AFPD’s dedication to supporting Michigan grown and processed food and agriculture products, MDA is able to offer booth space to companies at a significantly reduced vendor rate,” said MDA Director Don Koivisto. “Consumers are demanding locally grown and processed Michigan products at their retail markets, and this show is an exceptional opportunity to showcase Michigan products and services to a highly targeted and interested retail audience.”

Show hours are from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Monday, April 28, 2008; and from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesday, April 29. Ten, 10’ x 10’ booth spaces are available within the Select Michigan Pavilion. Companies can reserve whole booths or half-booth spaces which feature carpeting, curtained backdrop, chairs, table, company name sign, limited electricity, complimentary ice, and complimentary customer tickets.

Priority will be given to companies featuring and selling products made from Michigan specialty crops. These companies will also receive a larger price discount for booth space, supplemented by the USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant, administered by MDA. Specialty crops are defined as fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, and nursery crops (including floriculture). Non-specialty crop companies are welcome to participate if booth space is available at a slightly higher rate than the specialty crop rate, but still lower than the regular exhibitor price.

For more information, contact Jeanne Lipe, MDA Marketing Specialist, at 517-373-9790 or lipej@michigan.gov.