2016-17 Annual Report

EB-5 Projects The Riverside County Office of Foreign Trade supported a dozen new EB-5 projects this year with an expected job creation of about 2,000 positions. The investment for these projects is expected to exceed $146 million. The projects range from pizza restaurants in Temecula and Moreno Valley, a warehouse in Riverside and hotels planned in Riverside and the Coachella Valley. We continue to track dozens more projects, with a combined total estimated investment of more than $1.5 billion and an expected job creation of more than 21,000. Agriculture Summit 2016 Once again partnering with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Office of Foreign Trade hosted its third annual Southern California International Agriculture Summit in Palm Springs on Nov. 2, 2016. This event gave those in the agriculture business the opportunity to learn about some of the most pressing topics in the industry, including the effects of AB 1066 on growers, the effects of mechanization on labor and the state of the agriculture industry in the United States for export. Included in the summit’s programming was the opportunity for attendees to schedule one-on-one appointments with companies with expertise in international trade. Among the companies were DND Exports, Beaton Global Connections and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. The Secretary of Agriculture from the Philippines brought a delegation to the event, where they participated in the business matchmaking with Riverside County companies focused on farming, processing, post-harvest and packaging of fruits and vegetables. Breakout sessions were also included in the event’s agenda, giving attendees the chance to ask questions and gain wisdom from some of the pros in the industry. Southern California Procurement, Trade & Manufacturing Summit The third annual Southern California Procurement, Trade & Manufacturing Summit was moved to August of 2017, but much of the planning occurred before the close of the fiscal

year as staff worked to put all the pieces for this very popular and unique event in place. The Office of Foreign Trade partnered with the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the County Fleet and Purchasing Department to prepare for the event. Dozens of buyers representing private and public entities signed up to meet with business owners as part of the one-on-one matchmaking component of the event. In an effort to properly match them with vendors, buyers were asked detailed questions about their needs including how much money they awarded in annual contracts. Using our social media platforms, we were able to use that information to help promote the event. Meanwhile, the SBA, Purchasing and other partners helped prepare a lineup of seminars on procurement, manufacturing, foreign trade and the Small Business Administration. College of Foreign Trade The first installment of this year’s College of Foreign Trade was held on Feb. 9, 2017 and focused on e-commerce. The program illustrated the growth of the industry and how it can facilitate foreign trade and provide opportunities to growmarket share for local businesses. More than 100 businesses attended the event, which featured e-commerce experts provided by the U.S. SBA, the Department of Commerce, the Port of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce and other partners. Several local companies that are successfully doing business via the Internet spoke about their experiences. Foreign Delegations The Office of Foreign Trade welcomed 15 delegations with a total of 193 delegates from China, Vietnam and New Zealand. The Office also welcomed 24 investor groups with a total of 123 investors from China. The County of Riverside also entered into a bilateral trade agreement with the city of Can Tho, Vietnam on June 5, 2016. A delegation from the city traveled to Riverside to sign the agreement with Foreign Trade Commissioner Heidi Marshall, tomeet with area businesses and to tour the Riverside County Wine Country.

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