In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” international trade consultant Chris Wojtowicz of the Small Business Development Center highlights resources available to companies in the state. “Wisconsin has a wonderful, really dynamic ecosystem of help for exporters,” he said. He touches on support offered by local chambers of commerce, economic development officials and state agencies such as DATCP and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. And he discusses the role of trade compliance experts fo...
Jun 26, 2023•13 min•Ep 61•Transcript available on Metacast In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” Rural Export Center Director Heather Ranck highlights exporting opportunities and resources for rural companies. This North Dakota-based national research center is part of the U.S. Commerce Department, and focuses on assisting small businesses in rural parts of the country with market research and other support. “There are three main barriers to exporting for rural exporters: knowledge, connections and confidence,” she said. “And you can use data to tac...
Jun 13, 2023•12 min•Transcript available on Metacast In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” Port of Milwaukee Director Jackie Carter discusses plans to develop a new cruise ship dock, commodity shipping and more. “We are the northernmost point that can access the Mississippi River … We can get down to the Gulf of Mexico, we can get through the seaway, so from the East Coast there’s commodities that come in,” she said. “So there’s a lot of different ways that you can get products to the heartland of America, and they can come through the Port of...
Jun 13, 2023•10 min•Transcript available on Metacast In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation Administrator Adam Tindall-Schlicht underlines the importance of Great Lakes shipping for the Midwest economy. He also highlights room for growth in the region, noting the amount of vessel traffic through these waterways could be doubled with “no operational impact” on U.S. and Canadian ports there. “Now, we want to do that in an economically and environmentally resilient way,” he said. “We view ourselves as st...
May 04, 2023•13 min•Ep 58•Transcript available on Metacast In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” Wisconsin Center for Manufacturing and Productivity CEO Buckley Brinkman discusses how the center prepares businesses for exporting. He says the center’s ExporTech program helps manufacturers develop an exporting plan in 90 days that can be implemented immediately. “It’s really a strategic submersion, where you really get to the point where you understand, here’s my product portfolio, here are the likely targets in the world where this can be sold, and t...
May 04, 2023•13 min•Transcript available on Metacast In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” MI Group Senior Advisor Terry Dittrich discusses the path ahead for rebuilding infrastructure in Ukraine. While the war between Russia and Ukraine rages on, Dittrich says reconstruction planning has already begun, noting “if you wait, you’ll be too late.” He shares insights from a recent conference held in Poland focused on these efforts. “The bottom line is, the Europeans, the Asians and to an extent, some American companies, are already in planning,” h...
Apr 07, 2023•13 min•Transcript available on Metacast In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” Pawan Bhatnagar of Kasvu Consulting and Asian Insiders touts the strength of the Indian economy. He says India has “proven to be remarkably resilient in the face of the headwinds” facing global markets, pointing to inflation, the war in Ukraine and other factors. “India is on track to become the world’s third-largest economy by ‘27, surpassing Japan and Germany,” Bhatnagar said. “And just to tell you, we may have the third-largest stock market by 2030.” ...
Apr 07, 2023•16 min•Transcript available on Metacast In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” Rebekah Sweeney of the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association discusses the “recipe for success” for dairy exports in 2022. Sweeney, the group’s senior director of programs and policy, says last year was “an outstanding year” for U.S. dairy with more than $9.6 billion in exports. “That represents a 25 percent increase overall, and creates a new record both in terms of volume and value,” she said. “And I always like to say — and I really believe — that dairy...
Mar 03, 2023•13 min•Transcript available on Metacast In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” Armada Corporate Intelligence Chief Economist Chris Kuehl discusses a recent shift in the global economic outlook. “If people were listening to the commentary even a few weeks ago, it was pretty doom and gloom,” Kuehl said. “It was looking at 2023 as a year of serious recession, maybe starting in first and second quarter and extending through the year.” But in the past several weeks, several new data points have helped to challenge that assumption, Kuehl...
Mar 03, 2023•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” Orbis Corporation Senior Director of Global Logistics Mike Heindselman says trade compliance efforts need to be company-wide to be effective. “There’s no compliance without teamwork,” he said. “This can’t be one faction, or one department, or one functional area of a company that’s leading the charge on that. It has to be multiple areas that understand the goal, how it impacts them and why we are doing this.” To ensure that broad understanding, he underl...
Feb 15, 2023•17 min•Ep 52•Transcript available on Metacast In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” recently retired Trek Bicycle Corporation executive Maureen Muldoon discusses industry trends and how the company weathered COVID-19. Muldoon, who was the vice president of international business development for the Waterloo-based bike maker, highlights the “bike boom” seen early in the pandemic. “They wanted to get bikes for their kids so they could do some things outside, people were buying bikes because they were doing stay-cations, etcetera,” she sai...
Jan 13, 2023•14 min•Transcript available on Metacast In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” Asia Society Policy Institute Vice President Wendy Cutler says it’s unlikely that tariffs on Chinese goods will be lifted anytime soon. She discusses the recent news that tariff exclusions on several hundred products have been extended for another nine months after being set to expire at the end of last year. “But we’re talking about 352 products out of thousands and thousands,” she said. “And so, the exclusion relief also has been pretty minimal under t...
Jan 11, 2023•13 min•Transcript available on Metacast In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” Omanhene Cocoa Bean Company President Steve Wallace discusses challenges associated with growing the Milwaukee-based chocolate business. The company’s products are processed and produced in Ghana, one of the world’s largest producers of cocoa. “Overcoming history was difficult … the politics and the economics were very much centered on getting things cheaply from this part of the world and making money with it elsewhere,” he said. Wallace explained his g...
Dec 22, 2022•13 min•Ep 49•Transcript available on Metacast In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” former diplomat Andy Rothman of the firm Matthews Asia highlights the benefits of U.S. engagement with China and says an initially bumpy transition from strict COVID-19 protocols will improve next year. Rothman urges continued engagement, including international investment and trade, as well as academic exchanges, partnering on innovations in science and medicine and more. “All of that engagement I think over the last several decades has been really, rea...
Dec 16, 2022•15 min•Transcript available on Metacast In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” Europartnerships Managing Director Mark Dodsworth says businesses in the United Kingdom “have been hit very hard” by the pandemic, the war in Ukraine and Brexit. “These have caused a number of serious disruptions, which have led to, for example, 11 percent inflation as of today,” he said. “Rising interest rates, exchange rate volatility, supply shortages, energy price rises, shortages of labor and consumer spending under pressure.” But despite these chal...
Dec 09, 2022•12 min•Ep 47•Transcript available on Metacast In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” Michael Best Strategies Principal Mike Dankler says a federal review of Section 301 tariffs on China could be “a sign of some tariff-liftings to come.” Federal officials recently opened a comment period on these tariffs, and Dankler says Michael Best Strategies has been encouraging clients to apply to submit comments on this process. “I think there’s a lot of people hoping that they may use it to rebalance things somehow, maybe use it as pretext to reope...
Nov 21, 2022•11 min•Transcript available on Metacast In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” Trade Acceptance Group Principal Bruce Glaub outlines the benefits of export credit insurance. If an exporter isn’t paid by a client, the insurer will pay out a percentage of that unpaid amount, Glaub explained. That’s useful at the international level because exporters have fewer options for recouping their losses from outside the country, he said. “Rather than what you do in the U.S., using the law maybe as your heavy hand, internationally, it’s great ...
Nov 21, 2022•12 min•Ep 45•Transcript available on Metacast In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” Mark Rhoda-Reis of DATCP discusses another potentially record-setting year for Wisconsin ag exports. Rhoda-Reis, the director of the agency’s International Agribusiness Center, said the state set a new record with $3.94 billion in ag exports in 2021, marking an 18 percent increase over the prior year. “And we’d had some challenging years, so that was good news to see,” he said. “And then year-to-date June, so our second quarter, we are already up 10 perc...
Oct 26, 2022•13 min•Ep 44•Transcript available on Metacast In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” Cohen Group Associate Vice President Damian Felton explains the implications of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act on international commerce. The act aims to bolster U.S. prohibitions on importation of goods from the Xinjiang region of China, according to co-host Sandi Siegel of M.E. Dey & Co. Felton explains the law prohibits imports of any products coming from the region or any organization included on a UFLPA list of associated entities. “This...
Sep 28, 2022•15 min•Ep 43•Transcript available on Metacast In the latest episode of "Talking Trade," Briggs & Stratton legal executive Jennifer Jin discusses the impact of trade sanctions on manufacturing supply chains. Jin holds the position of senior counsel, global compliance, contract and litigation for the Wauwatosa-based manufacturer. She shares her perspective with hosts M. E. Dey & Co. President Sandi Siegel and Katie Henry, executive director of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce's World Trade Association....
Sep 12, 2022•14 min•Ep 42•Transcript available on Metacast In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” attorney lawyer Ngosong Fonkem discusses the “seismic trade shift” in global supply chains caused by sanctions on Russia. Fonkem, a trade compliance specialist with Chicago law firm Page Fura, notes “this is the first time since the end of the Cold War that sanctions of this magnitude” have been levied on a major global economy. Many nations including the United States have enacted sanctions on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine in February. “Russi...
Aug 24, 2022•12 min•Transcript available on Metacast In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” energy specialist Emily Pickrell highlights industries and companies likely to benefit from the federal Inflation Reduction Act. Pickrell is a journalist and global energy scholar at the University of Houston and currently writes about energy, politics and technology for Forbes. She says the wide-ranging legislation will benefit suppliers of electricity needed for electric vehicles, among others. “That’s solar and wind and battery production,” she said. ...
Aug 12, 2022•10 min•Ep 40•Transcript available on Metacast In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” E.M. Wasylik Associates Managing Director Ken Wasylik discusses his approach for reaching new international markets. He highlights how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted those efforts, such as meeting and forming connections with clients. “Whether it’s a trade mission, trade venture — basically sending some sales person to that particular market, and that’s how you built it pre-pandemic,” he said. “During the pandemic, that whole travel, that section sto...
Aug 03, 2022•15 min•Ep 39•Transcript available on Metacast In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” Bank of America executive Drew Slocum discusses how his team helps companies navigate the intricacies of international trade. “The last 18 months, what we’ve seen companies work through has been unique, different and challenges that most of our companies have never faced all at one time,” said Slocum, senior vice president and marketing manager for the company. The show touches on rising inflation and interest rates as well as supply chain and labor issu...
Aug 03, 2022•11 min•Transcript available on Metacast In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” U.S. Department of Commerce Deputy Undersecretary for International Trade Diane Farrell discusses the administration’s pandemic recovery efforts. “For those of us in the international sphere, it’s not just about building back better in the United States,” she said. “It’s about how do we strategize our economic recovery, how do we take advantage of opportunities overseas, and how are we also helping our foreign partners to recover from the global impacts ...
Aug 03, 2022•14 min•Transcript available on Metacast The latest episode of “Talking Trade” features a conversation with David Usher, acting consul general for Canada’s Chicago Consulate. He talks about the consulate’s role in promoting cross-border trade and economic development in Canada as well as Wisconsin, Illinois and Missouri, pointing to the “very important and robust” trade connection between Canada and Wisconsin. He explains Wisconsin exports about $7.5 billion in goods to Canada each year, while it imports about $5.5 billion annually. An...
Aug 03, 2022•11 min•Ep 36•Transcript available on Metacast In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” international trade consultant Chris Wojtowicz discusses supply chain disruptions and potential solutions. Wojtowicz is part of the Small Business Development Center at the UW Institute for Business and Entrepreneurship and is the chair of the Wisconsin District Export Council. He highlights the support available for companies looking to connect with domestic and international markets. He also touches on some of the top challenges facing small businesses...
Aug 03, 2022•11 min•Ep 35•Transcript available on Metacast In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” Michael Best Strategies Principal Mike Dankler provides an update on the latest sanctions against Russia and the effect on trade and commodity prices. “One area where the U.S. and EU and others haven’t really gone the full way is on energy,” he explained. “EU is just so reliant on Russian oil and gas that they can’t go too far yet without hurting themselves.” Dankler said it’s uncertain how long it will take for certain sanctions on Russia to have a real...
Aug 03, 2022•12 min•Ep 34•Transcript available on Metacast In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” Visthar founder Pradeep Nedungadi highlights trade opportunities for Wisconsin companies in India. His company provides consultant services for businesses looking to operate in India, which is the second most populous country in the world. “It’s a shame that the U.S. is just discovering India as a manufacturing option, and even as a trading partner in non-manufacturing businesses, only in the last 30 years,” he said. Unlike China, he explains India has b...
Aug 03, 2022•13 min•Transcript available on Metacast In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” a UW-Madison economist and expert on Russia provides insight into the evolving conflict with Ukraine. Paul Castaneda Dower is an assistant professor of agricultural and applied economics at the university and is involved with UW-Madison’s Wisconsin Russia Project. He offers his perspective on the rationale behind Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as well as how it could impact global trade. “Precisely because Ukraine is so close to Russia … economically, cult...
Aug 03, 2022•11 min•Ep 32•Transcript available on Metacast 
