The Montana – Israel Virtual Trade Forum was on Thursday, December 3rd, 2020 at 9am MST, 8am PST, 6pm Tel Aviv. This 90-minute event highlighted opportunities to grow trade between Montana and Israel, with special focus on the agricultural/ag-tech industry. Industry experts from Israeli and Montana ecosystems shared overviews of their respective industries and innovative technologies during this virtual event. There are opportunities through Montana World Trade Center and the Israeli Chambers of Commerce to have B2B meetings facilitated outside of this event. This virtual event is a collaboration between Montana World Trade Center, Consulate General of Israel, and the Federation of Israeli Chambers of Commerce.

Watch Recording

Agenda

Section I- Building the Framework for Discussion

9:00AM        Convene session

  • Brigitta Miranda-Freer, Executive Director Montana World Trade Center
  • Shlomi Kofman, Israeli Consul General to the US. 
  • Ze’ev Lavie, VP International Relations Israeli Federation of Chambers of Commerce
  • Dana Kedar, Community Manager, GrowingIL

9:10AM        Welcoming Remarks from Governor Steve Bullock

9:15AM        Overview of upcoming session flow

  • Brigitta Miranda-Freer, Executive Director Montana World Trade Center

 

Section II- Industry Overview

9:20AM        Montana Ag & Ag-tech

  • Ben Thomas, Director of Montana Department of Agriculture

Israeli Ag & Ag-Tech

  • Michal Levy, Senior Vice President, Agriculture Innovation at the Israeli Ministry of Agriculture

9:45AM        Fireside Chat- Montana Practitioners Perspective

  • Abby Majerus, Foreign Direct Investment Program Manager for Montana World Trade Center & Owner, Majerus Ranch Montana
  • Rachel Cone, Director of State Affairs, Montana Farm Bureau Federation

 

Section III- Technologies Meeting Needs

 10:00AM      Fireside Chat -Marrying Technologies with Need

  • Moderator: Brigitta Miranda-Freer
  • Dana Kedar, Community Manager, GrowingIL
  • Cliff Bradley, CEO of Montana BioAgriculture Inc. 

 

Section IV- Reconnect, Call to Action, Close

10:10AM     Maya Vardi Shoshani, Director of Business Development, West Coast Division, BIRD Foundation

10:15AM      Call to Action from U.S. Senator Jon Tester

10:20AM      What’s Next?

  • Brigitta Miranda-Freer, Executive Director Montana World Trade Center

10:22AM      Close with Consul General Shlomi Kofman

Speakers

Montana Governor Steve Bullock
Shlomi Kofman, Consul General, Consulate General of Israel to the Pacific Northwest
U.S. Senator Jon Tester
Brigitta Miranda-Freer, Executive Director, Montana World Trade Center
Dr. Michal Levy, Sr. Deputy Director General of Agriculture Innovation, Israeli Ministry of Agriculture
Dana Kedar, Community Manager, Growing IL
Abby Majerus, Foreign Direct Investment Program Manager for Montana World Trade Center & Owner, Majerus Ranch Montana
Ze'ev Lavie, VP International Relations & Business Development, Federational of Israeli Chambers of Commerce
Cliff Bradley, CEO, Montana BioAgriculture Inc.
Ben Thomas, Director, The Montana Department of Agriculture
Maya Vardi Shoshani, Director, West Coast, BIRD Foundation
Rachel Cone, Director of State Affairs, Montana Farm Bureau Federation

Partners and Sponsors

Montana Bioscience Cluster Initiative Logo