Gov. Eric Holcomb and an Indiana delegation will travel to Brazil and Mexico on an eight-day economic development trip, including travel days. Photo from Holcomb’s official Flickr.

By Whitney Downard
Indiana Capital Chronicle

INDIANA — Gov. Eric Holcomb will take another privately funded economic development trip in the coming weeks — this time to Brazil and Mexico.

A release from the governor’s office states that the trip aims to cultivate “innovation and growth of the agbioscience and agricultural economy.” It will be his first official trip to both countries and is covered by private donations to the Indiana Economic Development Foundation.

“Indiana agriculture and agbiosciences continues to be a catalyst for economic and community growth, contributing $58.1 billion annually to the state’s economy,” said Holcomb in a release. “Brazil and Mexico both represent opportunities to collaborate and mutually advance trade, innovation and investment across the sector, spurring developments across food safety, security and sustainability that are critical to the global economy of the future.”

According to the release, Indiana trade with Brazil and Mexico exceeded $1.7 billion and $13.4 billion in 2023, respectively. The state is home to 14 Brazil-based and 13 Mexico-based business establishments.

Holcomb, First Lady Janet Holcomb, representatives from the Indiana Economic Development Corporation  and agriculture officials will leave on Friday, April 12 and return one week later — spending five days in Brazil and three in Mexico.

The Brazil leg of the trip starts in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, building and identifying relationships and opportunities in government, academia and industry. Holcomb will meet with U.S. Ambassador to Brazil Elizabeth Bagley along with Solinftec, a digital agriculture company that announced in 2018 it would establish its U.S. headquarters in West Lafayette.

Holcomb and others will pitch the state to industry leaders at two roundtables hosted by the Federation of Industries of the State of São Paulo in partnership with global life sciences corporation Bayer. Additionally the delegation will meet with Indiana-based companies operating in Brazil, including Corteva and Elanco. Consul General David Hodge, with the U.S. Embassy, will also host a Friends of Indiana Reception for the group.

On April 17, the Holcombs will leave Brazil for Mexico City, where the governor will meet with officials — including U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar and Mexican Secretary of Economy Raquel Buenrostro. On the business side, the group will meet with the American Chamber of Commerce of Mexico and participate in a roundtable focused on meat processing and meet with Atarraya, a Mexican company invested in Indiana with a focus on growing sustainable shrimp protein.

The Holcombs will return to Indiana on April 19.