The Northwest Seaport Alliance is excited to welcome the Agriculture Transportation Coalition, the association representing agricultural shippers, to Tacoma for it upcoming annual meeting.

The meeting from June 12 through 15 at the Greater Tacoma Convention Center is expected to be the largest gathering of agricultural and forest products transportation professionals in the U.S. More than 400 people have registered to attend the meeting.

The Northwest Seaport Alliance is the top U.S. export gateway for refrigerated commodities and second-largest export gateway for agricultural and forest products overall. The value of those exports added up to more than $6.8 billion in 2016, making up 76 percent of NWSA containerized exports. Nearly 75 percent of these exports were destined for China, Japan and other northeastern Asia countries, but they also went to 160 countries around the world.

“As a strategic export gateway for agricultural and forest products in the U.S., The Northwest Seaport Alliance is proud to host AgTC’s 30th annual meeting,” said Courtney Gregoire, Port of Seattle commission president and NWSA co-chair. “With booming economies in Asia paired with growing appetite for our agricultural and forest products, ports and the agricultural community should work together to promote the flow of goods and reduction of trade barriers.”

“A hundred years ago, local farmers were the most vocal advocates for the formation of the port,” said Don Meyer, Port of Tacoma commission president and NWSA co-chair. “Today our ties run deep with farmers and foresters throughout the U.S.”

With support from City of Tacoma, Pierce County and Economic Development Board of Tacoma-Pierce County, the NWSA pitched the location as an opportunity to showcase the Pacific Northwest’s premier products, hospitality and advantages for international agricultural cargo.

AgTC members, made up of companies that import and export food, farm and fiber products, ship more than 2 million containers each year.

While attendees will share best practices and talk about ways to improve the shipping environment for agriculture importers and exporters, they also will have the opportunity to sample the food, cultural experiences and natural beauty for which the Pacific Northwest is famous, as well as the region’s distribution, manufacturing and transload capacity and capabilities.