The 1st French Tour of Vineyard and Winery Equipment from March 26 th to 30 th in Canada and the United States (Niagara Peninsula, ON & Charlottesville, VA) was a success! The participating companies, selected for the quality and innovative aspect of their solutions, were delighted and impressed by their first approach to these two North American wine producing regions, which are fairly unknown in France. The companies, a labeling machine manufacturer (CDA France - http://www.cdafrance.com/en/index.html ) and a cooper (Tonnellerie d’Aquitaine- http://www.daquitaine.com/ ) enjoyed th eir first two  days in Canada visiting wineries and meeting with potential partners. They then flew to Richmond VA to showcase their product on Wineries Unlimited trade show. Wineries Unlimited is held annually in Richmond and is the second largest event of its kind in the United States. An a nnual meeting event for more than 2,500 wine and grape industry professionals from the East Coast, Wineries Unlimited hosts a trade show with over 310 suppliers displaying their products and services. For the 1st time, UBIFRANCE, partnered with Vineyard and Winery Management Magazine to set up a French Pavilion enhancing the exposure of the French exhibiting companies. They were very excited about the show, the new contacts they made and the opportunities ahead. The visitors were also very enthusiastic about the new equipment they discovered. The last day was a tour in Charlottesville area’s best wineries organized by the Virginia Wine board. What else than a great wine tasting to end a successful mission! More info to come on next year’s French Vineyard & Winery Equipment Tour locations. F ollow us on Twitter @UBIagrofoodeq and join our  French / North-American Agro-Food Equipment Business  Group on LinkedIn

Built with the joint input of growers, vintners and allied industry members, the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium is held annually in Sacramento, California and is the largest event of its kind in the United States. Serving as a clearinghouse for practical information important to wine and grape industry professionals, the Unified Symposium also hosts a trade show with over 650 suppliers displaying their products and services. Attendance broke a record with 12,400 guests from around the world, who gathered at the Sacramento Convention Center on January 24-26. The key driver for greater attendance this year was an improved economy. The wine and grape industry is fast changing, complex and highly competitive, and people want the latest information, research and analysis as a way to stay competitive in 2012. This year, the show has seen a regain of optimism. Indeed, for the first time in a decade, wine demande is exceeding production. New opportunities arrive for people from all over the globe on the American market. Visitors from every corner of the globe, including Australia, South Africa, China and of course France, attended the three-day industry event to view presentations and displays while enjoying the insights and information currently shaping the wine industry. UBIFRANCE, the French Embassy Trade Office, was accompanying three French equipment manufacturers who have major opportunities in this fast changing market. Having selected manufacturers focused on innovation, this year, UBIFRANCE   was presenting a straddle-tractor manufacturer (Bobard Jeune - http://www.bobard.com/ ), a compostable young vine protector (CFCL - http://www.cfcl.fr/ ) and high quality oak staves (Laglasse - http://www.laglasse.com/ ). Feel free to contact us for more information!

Built with the joint input of growers, vintners and allied industry members, the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium is held annually in Sacramento, California and is the largest event of its kind in the United States. Serving as a clearinghouse for practical information important to wine and grape industry professionals, the Unified Symposium also hosts a trade show with over 650 suppliers displaying their products and services to the more than 12,200 people who attend annually. Each year a team of experts from the wine and grape industry create a program to address the current industry needs. This year will be addressing challenging climate conditions, the state of the industry and brand marketing carried in four areas of focus: grapegrowing; winemaking; business; and marketing & public relations. UBIFRANCE, the French Embassy Trade Office, will be accompanying three French equipment manufacturers closely related to this year’s areas of focus. Having selected manufacturers focused on innovation, this year, UBIFRANCE   will be presenting a straddle-tractor manufacturer ( Bobard Jeune ), a compostable young vine protector ( CFCL ) and high quality oak staves ( Laglasse ). Feel free to contact us for more information or to arrange a meeting! follow us on twitter

Held in the heart of the Massif Central mountain range, inside Europe’s prime cattle meat livestock farming region, the Sommet de l’Elevage is a business crossroads giving a predominant place to genetics and livestock presentations. This year, there will be no fewer than 2,000 animals from 64 breeds on display for the 75,000 visitors hailing from five continents. Over the years, the Sommet de l’Elevage has become a major meeting place for livestock farming professionals. The 20th edition of this French trade show should feature more than 1,250 exhibitors. It will be held from October 5 to 7, 2011, at the Grande Halle d’Auvergne Exhibition Centre in Clermont-Ferrand, France. An exceptional showcase for French livestock farming, the Sommet de l’Elevage 2011 will over three days host close to 2,000 animals of very high genetic quality, either on display or competing, broken down as follows: 850 beef-breed cattle heads (Hall 3), 450 dairy cattle heads (Hall 2), 400 sheep (Hall 5) and 300 workhorses and riding horses (Hall 4). This year, the spotlight will be on the French Limousine beef breed, with over 450 animals entered into the national competition. As for dairy cattle, the Brown Swiss breed will hold its major EUROBRUNE European competition featuring 80 cows from Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and France. Extending across 150,000-m² exhibition area, the Sommet de l’Elevage will also provide its 75,000 visitors with a comprehensive offer aimed at all livestock farming sectors: farming machinery, facilities, supplies and livestock farming services. As it did last year, the trade show will also host the farming job forum organized by VETAGRO SUP (an agronomist and veterinarian school) and APECITA (Association for Farming Managers’ Employment). Every year, the Sommet de l’Elevage increases its international appeal: 380 international exhibitors from about 30 countries and 2,500 visitors hailing from about 60 countries are expected in Clermont-Ferrand in 2011. The International Business Club, headed by the ADEPTA (Association for the Development of International Trade in Farming Products and Techniques), will offer a VIP welcome to foreign delegations, as well as organizing guided tours of the trade show, meetings with exhibitors and a presentation of France’s offer in terms of livestock farming, know-how and genetics. Moreover, as part of the Year of Mexico in France, a specific reception procedure will be put in place to receive delegations of Mexican livestock farming managers. It will also be possible for foreign visitors to take part in a host of professional side-events: - close to 20 tours of livestock farms and food industry technical facilities (an insemination center, a slaughterhouse, a meat sector research center, etc.) - the 3rd edition of the France/Africa meetings organized by the AFDI (French Farmers and International Development) and focusing on the relationship between food autonomy and family farming, in the presence of the Minister of Livestock Farming for Mali - the France-Maghreb Forum, to be held over two days on the topic of "France, a partner for Maghreb countries in the development of their cattle meat sector." This new event is organized by FranceAgriMer in partnership with FRANCE TERRE D’ELEVAGE. Also marking the three days of the Sommet de l’Elevage, there will be a number of visits by politicians and some international symposiums. Many topics will be featured in those conferences, including: the latest advances in genomic research, the tenderness of meat, the impact of rising and volatile raw materials costs on cattle birthing and fattening, etc. As always, the Sommets d’Or competition will reward those exhibitors whose materials, products or services are the most innovative in the farming/livestock farming sector. For more information, please contact: SOMMET DE L’ELEVAGE Benoit Delaloy International Manager Cité Régionale de l’Agriculture 9, allée Pierre de Fermet 63170 Aubière FRANCE Tel.: +33 4 73 28 95 13 E-mail: bdelaloy@sommet-elevage.fr Web: www.sommet-elevage.fr | www.facebook.com/sommet.elevage  

UBIFRANCE - French Trade Commission will be accompanying Tonnellerie Boutes and Garonnaise , a French barrel manufacturer at the Wineries Unlimited - the second largest vineyard and winery conference and tradeshow in North America, and most important onsite buying event in the industry -  from March 29 to April 1, 2011 . The French manufacturer will be exhibiting  high quality oak barrels and casks . This cooperage company is already very present on the West Coast and is now seeking to develop its business on the East Coast through agents or distributors. A family business since 1880, Tonnellerie Boutes and Garonnaise are two distinctive brands, both with top quality objectives in fruit promotion and focus: mouthful, structure, balance, non-aggressiveness. Their oak undergoes a very low heat toasting regime on a long period of time to emphasize a softer side, always consistent, with no exaggerated vanilla or coffee flavors.   Feel Free to stop by the company’s booth to find out more about the products. Contact us for more information.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE French Technology Press Office Ref #:  A071 Contact: Kimberly Elsham Tel: (312) 327-5260 E-mail: contact.ftpo@ubifrance.fr MEET BASSE-NORMANDIE, HOST OF 2014 WORLD EQUESTRIAN GAMES, AT WEG 2010 IN LEXINGTON FROM SEPT. 25 TO OCT. 10 Please click the thumbnails below to open high-resolution images. All photos courtesy of CRBN (Conseil Régional Basse-Normandie). Photo 1:Horses training on a Normandy beach Tags: Equestrian,horse,Lexington,Normandy,WEG