Calendar of Events

USAID Agribusiness Project is going to support the recently founded National Association of Serbian Prune Producers to organize the first Serbian-Russian Conference dedicated to prune production and exporting. This event will take place in Valjevo on August 28-29 and will be related to the status and prospects of prune production in Serbia, export potential and market demand. This conference will present opportunity for creating business linkages between Serbian prune producers and importers from Russia, whose representatives are also going to attend this event. Support to the organization of this happening will also be provided by the Ministry of Agriculture, Agrobanka and the City of Valjevo.

Seminar titled "Info-days on cleaner production in agribusiness" will be organized by the Ministry of environment and spacial planning of the Republic of Serbia, City of Nis administration for agriculture and rural development and USAID Agribusiness Project.

Agenda: 

The Project will officially be launched on Thursday, August 26, 2010 at 12h, by signing of the Agreement between the Ministry of Agriculture, water management and forestry, USAID, Kuc Dairy, Mladost Dairy and local project coordinator NGO "Center for information and education".

This event will be preceded by a tour of the dairy training center in Lapovo.

Participants:

- H.E. Mary Warlick, US Ambassador
- Milos Milovanovic, Assistant Minister, Ministry of agriculture, forestry and water management
- Jezdimir Kuc, Kuc Dairy owner
- Goran Tadic, Mladost dairy General Manager
- Dusan Obradovic, Project Manager, Center for information and education

The Project envisages, among others, expansion of milk collection centers network, practical and theoretical education for individual producers, establishment of a permanent training center for farmers producing milk in the Sumadija region and modernization of their dairy farms.

USAID Agrbusiness project and Agropress, with the support from the Ministry of agriculture and Ministry of energy and mining, are organizing a Conference titled "Agribusiness and renewable energy sources - potentials and obstacles". This event will be organized in Belgrade, on July 29, 2010, 09-13h, with the goal to provide agricultural producers with information on: government stimulation measures for the production of 'green' energy, different options available to producers (use of solar energy, biomass pelletization, digestors et), and how to use them to their own benefit, while at the same time benefiting the natural environment as well as the economy.
Minister of agriculture Sasa Dragin and USAID Mission Director will open the conference.

Report on Soil Quality in the Republic of Serbia will be presented at this workshop, organized by the USAID Agribusiness Project and the Ministry of environment and spacial planning - Environmental protection Agency (SEPA).

The event will be held on June 28th, 2010 11.00-16.00h

On Saturday, June 12, 2010 at 12h, USAID Agribusiness project will organize presentation of certificates to companies and service providers whose representatives finished the training on cleaner production. Representatives of 10 companies from Futog, Ladjevci, Bujanovac, Mackat, Vranje, Presevo, Kragujevac, Krusevac and Vrnjacka banja, together with 6 consultancies will receive certificates on this occasion.

USAID Agribusiness project has been implementing since 2008 the Cleaner production program encompassing trainings on the concept of cleaner production, feasibility studies on relevant technological solutions as well as financial support for a certain number of companies to implement these solutions in the practise.

Serbia will host the regional conference of IAAS (International association of students in agriculture and related sciences) to be held in Belgrade. This year, the participation of more than 50 students from Central-East Region including Slovenia, Switzerland, Croatia, Austria, Czech Republic, Bosnia, Macedonia and Serbia is expected.  The main topic is ''Environmental protection in agriculture by using the renewable sources of energy and organic production''. One of the main goals of this event is to learn about EU regulations in the area of agriculture as well as about the changes that will be imposed with EU membership.

USAID Agribusiness project, together with the Ministry of Agriculture, Serbia Organica Association and GTZ, is organizing a conference which will gather all stakeholders involved in the organic production in Serbia and cover topics such as promotion and marketing of organic products in EU, with special emphasis on France and Germany (as major organic markets in EU).

Mr. Robert Tomesh, horticulture specialist from University of Wisconsin-Extension, will advise current cranberry growers and specialists on various issues related to establishing cranberry bed and its management.

In addition, Mr. Tomesh supported by local consultant Miss Jasminka Milivojevic, will deliver a series of trainings on cranberry production and propagation technologies to businesses and individuals who have interest in this new product for Serbia. The training sessions will take place on May 1, 4 and 5 in Belanovica, Belgrade and Cacak respectively, and are organized in cooperation with Prima-borovnica Cooperative and Faculties of agriculture at Belgrade and Kragujevac Universities.

This is the second round of Youth Business Plan Competition for students in agricultural high schools and universities.  Ten Business Plans were selected as award winners.  The objective of the program is to integrate young agricultural students into the private sector, and to support their efforts to establish new agribusinesses in rural areas.  The awardees will be given small grants from the Project, which will help them establish their new businesses.

Award ceremony agenda:

13:00 Welcome note - Agribusiness Project Chief of Party Louis Faoro
13:05 Statement - State Secretary Ministry of Agriculture prof. Mirjana Milosevic
13:10 Statement - Director of economic growth office, USAID Jim Stein
13:15 Statement - one of the winners   
13:30 Presentation of certificates   
13:45 Short presentation - one awarded business plan  
14:00 Cocktail

USAID Agribusiness project will organize a seminar on "Protection of geographical origin of products as a tool of regional economic development" in Pirot, main hall of the Municipal building (Velika sala SO Pirot), address: Srpskih vladara 82.
Date and time: March 24, 2010; 10-13h

Prof. Mihailo Ostojic, Professor of Dairy Husbandry, Faculty of Agriculture, Belgrade will give a lecture on this occassion.

AGROPRESS and USAID Agribusiness Project will organize a one-day Food Safety Conference on March 17, 2010, to facilitate the dialog between the high ranking Government officials, in particular officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and the leading industry representatives regarding the most important food safety issues, in particular: implementation of the recently adopted Food Safety Law; efficiency of food safety controls; capacities  of existing laboratories to perform controls required by export markets: specific export market requirements in terms of food safety and Serbia’s capacity to meet those requirements; comparison of the Serbian food safety system with the food safety system in European union, etc.

A large international organic fair in Nuremburg, Germany. Serbian companies will be exhibiting their organic produce at this fair again this year.

One of the largest international fairs featuring fresh produce at which Serbian companies, again this year will present their produce under a joint slogan - Serbia Naturally!

A kick off workshop as part of the Integrated Soil Management Project implemented in coordination with the Ministry of Ecology and Spatial Planning.

Professor Rick Kostin, form the University of Kentucky will present the most important aspects of good farm management to vegetable producers.

During the Conference the National Report on the State of the Environment in Serbia in 2008 will be presented.

This event is organized by the Serbian Environmental Protection Agency (Ministry of Environmnet and Spatial Planning) and the USAID Agribusiness Project.

Serbian company representatives that participated in a series of Business Trainings organized by the USAID Agribusiness Project during the last few months will receive their diplomas during this event.

The objective of this National Conference is to inform and engage all relevant stakeholders in a constructive discussion regarding the agriculture sector most pressing and current issues and to provide information regarding the 2010 agricultural policy.

Agenda
List of Registered Participants
Invitation

Professor Rick Kostin, form the University of Kentucky will present the most important aspects of good farm management to 25 large-scale vegetable producers.

American expert on cranberry production, Robert Tomes, will hold three sepparate presentations in different locations in Serbia, on  cranberry production technology. He will present the potentials of local cranberry production to Serbian fruit growers.

Belanovica – 29.8.2009
Šabac – 31.8.2009
Subotica – 11.9.2009

A three day workshop on Cleaner Production in Agribusiness. The Cleaner Production program is a mixture of  classroom training (with case studies), and on-site application of tools. During the workshop, participants coming from different environmental services providers (ESPs) will learn about the application of total cost assessment to waste, hazardous materials, green procurement act and environmental management systems. This will assist them in providing advice to agribusinesses on these topics. Participants representing companies  will have to provide an appraisal for the pollution risks of their companies.

This preparatory training is a prerequisite training for all Serbian companies that will be attending International Fairs such as World Food Moscow and ANUGA with the assistance of the Project. The aim of this training is to build the companies' capacity to present, network, market, negotiate and sell their products effectivelly at international events.

Dr. Čeomir Nestorovic, a USAID Expert Consultatnt will present the potentials of the Halal Market and present issues regarding Halal Certification to interested Serbian companies and producers.

Training as part of the Women Entrepreneurs in Agribusiness Project.

On Friday, 1O July 2009 at 11:00 am at the LAGERMAX AED d.o.o. facility in Šimanovci, the company’s management and USAID representatives will officially present the Consolidated Shipment services aimed at helping small Serbian exporters reach international markets.

Workshop as part of the "Market analysis, utilization of information from STIPS and basics of marketing” encompassing interactive seminars and workshops for farmers in 18 towns - reporting centers for STIPS.

Training for women entrepreneurs in business start up as part of the Women Entrepreneurs in Agribusiness Project launched in February this year.

Workshop as part of the "Market analysis, utilization of information from STIPS and basics of marketing” encompassing interactive seminars and workshops for farmers in 18 towns - reporting centers for STIPS.

A USDA- USAID Agribusiness Project Workshop - HACCP on Beef Cattle Farms.

During this Conference organized by the Institute for Meat Hygiene and Technology - USAID Agribusiness Project expert advisor, Mr. Stephen Neel will give a presentation on "The Role of the Slaughterhouse in the Integrated Marketing System".

Workshop as part of the "Market analysis, utilization of information from STIPS and basics of marketing” encompassing interactive seminars and workshops for farmers in 18 towns - reporting centers for STIPS.

Agricultural companies will be presented with a number of business trainings that will be made available to them in the next couple of weeks. The trainings range from accounting and finance skills development to marketing communication and sales.

Training as part of the Women Entrepreneurship in Agribusiness.

The Novi Sad Fair is organising one of the largest exhibitions of agriculture of European dimensions from 12th to 19th May this year. Incessant interest among the exhibitors is continuing with 2,000 of them displaying products from 60 different countries. This is proof enough to rank the International Agricultural Fair as the leading agribusiness event in Southeast Europe.

Seven Best Business Plans will be awarded with Grants and Certificates.

IFE is the only global food and drink event dedicated to innovation, where international decision makers increase their competitive advantage by sourcing a diverse range of innovative and consumer driven products from around the world. A number of Serbian companies will taek part at this fair and present their produce to international buyers.

USAID launched the International Standards Program in January 2009. The Program will be implemented during 2009 and will be comprised of two stages. During the first stage, GlogalGAP Seminars will be held throughout Serbia and during the second stage, the USAID Agribusiness Project will implement a process through which financial assistance regarding the implementation of GlobalGAP, ISO 14001 and ISO 22000 will be provided to interested Serbian food producers and exporters.

Serbian producers will exhibit their products again this year at the Gulfood. Organised since 1987, Gulfood is the region's largest and most important industry event of the year and a strategic platform for buyers and sellers to conduct direct business face to face. The exhibition is a showcase for manufacturers, distributors, and suppliers from around the world, representing all of the key sectors within the food and hospitality trade.

This year, for the fifth time, Serbian organic producers will present their fresh produce to international buyers from all over the world at the BIOFACH Fair in Nuremberg. Between the 19th and the 22nd of February and under the slogan Organic Serbia, seven companies will show the finest selection of Serbian organic produce.

PRODEXPO 2009 is the largest annual specialized food exhibition in Russia. Over the last 15 years, the exhibition space and the number of exhibiting companies have increased five - fold. In 2008, this event had 2,111 exhibitors of which 1,314 were from Russia and 797 from other 59 countries.
This year, Arilje raspberry producers through the Arilje Municipality Entrepreneurs Association, Serbian Chamber of Commerce and the USAID Agribusiness project have joined forces in promoting Arilje raspberries, one of Serbia's most valued export commodities on the international market.

This year, the largest number of Serbian companies ever will present their fresh produce to international buyers from all over the world at the Fruit Logistica Fair in Berlin. Under the slogan Serbia Naturally and occupying two pavilions, the finest selection of produce will be presented by eighteen Serbian companies.

Čačak - 22. January 2009
Niš - 23. January 2009
Novi Sad - 26. January 2009
Smederevo - 30. January 2009
Subotica - 11. February 2009

Over 40 companies will take part at a training aimed at enhancing and improving their marketing, media communication and business negotiation skills. This training is a part of the preperatory work participating Serbian companies will undergo priot to Fruit Logistica, BIOFACH and Gulf Food Trade Fairs ealy next year.

This year's Ethno Food Fair is funded by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry Engineering and Water Management and the USAID Agribusiness Project and organized with the assistance of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce. One of the main goals of the Ethno Food Fair is to provide continuous recognition and the appropriate branding of domestic and traditional Serbian products with the aim of increasing domestic sales and enabling exports to the international markets.