The South Dakota District Export Council (DEC)
is a not-for-profit entity operating under the auspices of the US Department of Commerce. It assists, promotes, and supports South Dakota’s export development as a way to strengthen individual companies, grow the state’s economy and create jobs.
The South Dakota DEC organizes one-on-one export counseling, workshops, roundtables, webinars and serves as a focal point of trade information and export education across the state. We partner with a number of other organizations throughout the state which have trade development and export awareness as part of their mission. The South Dakota DEC is one of 66 DEC’s across the US comprised of a diverse group of professionals from the manufacturing and service sectors, academia and government – all appointed by the US Secretary of Commerce for their knowledge of and involvement in export promotion.
Similar to all District Export Councils nationwide, our DEC works closely and partners with our District Office of the US Department of Commerce – Commercial Service in offering timely, relevant programs on issues impacting our country’s ability to export effectively and efficiently.
Each year, South Dakota exports roughly $1.4 billion in goods, which support about 17 thousand jobs. These exports include food and agricultural products, machinery, transportation equipment and chemicals. The DEC is here to further the exporting progress by being a strong advocate for trade promotion.
South Dakota DEC members are available to speak on international trade topics to business groups, chambers of commerce, academia and NGO’s. Members of the DEC also meet with federal, state, and locally elected officials to educate, advocate and inform on trade policy issues impacting out state’s business community.