Fargo businessman gets honorary Kazakh post

Posted at 3:14 PM on September 10, 2012 by Dan Gunderson
Filed under: Farms, Government

MPR file photo

Howard Dahl has been building international relationships for years in an effort to expand markets for the farm equipment built by his Fargo based company.

Dahl started doing business in the region after the collapse of the Soviet Union. He's opened offices in places like Russia and Kazakhstan. That relationship building seems to be paying off. Farm equipment exports continue to grow and next week Dahl will be appointed Honorary Consul of the Upper Midwest to the Republic of Kazakhstan.

"One of Howard's top priorities will be to further expand the trade partnership by facilitating trade missions to Kazakhstan as well as increase awareness of opportunities for U.S. businesses in Kazakhstan," said Kazakhstan Ambassador to the U.S., Erlan Idrissov.

The Ambassador will present Dahl the honorary appointment at
a farm equipment show in Fargo on Tuesday.

If you take oil out of the equation, North Dakota exports in the first half of 2012 were 19 percent higher than the previous year. Much of that growth in in international farm equipment sales.