CNH Industrial welcomed Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts this week at the Expo Milano “Sustainable Farm Pavilion” sponsored by its agricultural machinery brand New Holland Agriculture.

Also while the Governor was overseas with members of the trade mission team to the European Union, he met with a beef distributor in Italy. Their discussion was focused on driving the value and demand for Nebraska beef products. The team presented all segments of the beef production chain while visiting Inalca, one of the largest purchasers of Nebraska beef in the European Union. The trade mission is being coordinated jointly by the Nebraska Departments of Agriculture and Economic Development, includes 30 Nebraskans.

“Any good business person knows that your current customers are your best customers,” said Gov. Ricketts. “That’s why it is so important to meet face to face with the leaders at Inalca to better understand their business and find out how we can assist them in expanding their customer base. What is good for them, is good for us.”

“There seems to be a genuine interest from our customers in learning about what we do in Nebraska,” Gov. Ricketts said. “From the cow-calf producer to the processor, our trade team is able to share their knowledge base in a personal, meaningful way that I believe can result in more sales down the line.”

Export sales are an important part of the overall Nebraska agriculture economy. For the beef sector, exports add roughly $350 in value to every animal sold. Beef and beef product exports from Nebraska to the European Union have steadily increased in the past four years. In 2010, Nebraska exported more than $67.5 million in beef and beef products, but reached more than $136.7 million in 2014.