Securing Success for a Pivotal Ag Export Event
Client:
Industries:
- Agriculture
Services:
- Strategy and Planning
- Creative and Content
- Audience Engagement
South Dakota Trade tapped Paulsen for support with strategic planning, outreach, and event management for its fifth annual Midwest Agricultural Export Summit held on August 13, 2025.
Trade concerns take center stage
With trade uncertainty dominating headlines and weighing on the minds of farmers and ranchers, this event presented an opportunity to further establish the state as a thought leader and a catalyst for export growth. We developed an attendee outreach strategy focused on building relationships, amplifying media, and targeted engagement, positioning the summit as the definitive source for addressing the most pressing concerns in agricultural trade.
Establishing the town square
The Midwest Agricultural Export Summit has historically leveraged industry-wide connections to assemble a star-studded speaker lineup, creating opportunities for learning and networking. This year's event was no different, welcoming the following elected officials and agricultural leaders to the stage:
- Gov. Larry Rhoden, South Dakota
- Gov. Jim Pillen, Nebraska
- Congressman Dusty Johnson, South Dakota
- Congressman Adrian Smith, Nebraska
- Hon. Luke J. Lindberg, Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs
- Greg Tyler, USA Poultry and Egg Export Council
- Jim Sutter, President, U.S. Soybean Export Council
- Dan Halstrom, President and CEO, U.S. Meat Export Council
- Jaime Castanada, Executive Vice President for Policy Development and Strategy, National Milk Producers Federation/U.S. Dairy Export Council
Our team executed direct outreach to over 500 prospective attendees who met specific criteria. We also activated a media strategy that showcased South Dakota exporters' leadership and landed industry executives on ag business podcasts and within targeted press materials. Use of the Whova platform helped facilitate pre-event connections between registrants, speakers, and sponsors. To further support the in-person experience, we designed a comprehensive event program, conducted real-time polling, and created additional opportunities for attendee engagement.
Valuing attendee experience above all else
We conducted a survey of attendees at the conclusion of the Midwest Agricultural Export Summit. Here are some of our key findings:
We also learned that attendees viewed India as our top export opportunity and that tariff uncertainty remains a primary concern. These insights will be valuable for future communications and programming. Furthermore, our PR efforts paid off in the form of 61 earned media placements that reached 15.4 million people, representing an estimated $150,000 in equivalent advertising value.