•June 7, 2017•

The Illinois Department of Agriculture is hosting 31 international buyers from various countries including China, Myanmar, Mexico, Ecuador, Dominican Republic, Colombia and Vietnam,  in an effort to increase export sales for the Illinois pork industry. Industry tours, such as the Illinois Pork Tour, teach potential trade partners about the benefits of Illinois agriculture and reinforces the advantages of buying high-quality Illinois products. For more than 20 years, the tour has generated over $12 million in sales for participating Illinois agribusinesses.

The tour kicks-off with participants meeting with representatives from Cedar Ridge in Red Bud. The farm was established in 1954 by the late Fred and Betty Grohmann. Their six sons now own and operate the farm, which is one of the nation’s top sellers of purebred breeding stock, exporting swine breeding stock to over 40 countries. In the last four years, Cedar Ridge Farms has exported over 1,100 boars and nearly 10,000 gilts to various countries due to the relationships built during the Illinois Pork Tour.     Login or Subscribe to read the rest of this story.