[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 8]
[Senate]
[Pages 11152-11153]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    RECOGNIZING WILD TOUCH TAXIDERMY

 Mr. RISCH. Madam President, more and more small businesses 
across America have started to pursue opportunities outside of our 
borders by extending their markets globally. According to the Small 
Business Administration, almost 96 percent of consumers reside outside 
of the United States. The benefits to small businesses that export are 
compelling. According to a report by the Institute for International 
Economics, U.S. exporting firms grow 2 to 4 percent faster in employing 
than their nonexporting counterparts, offer better opportunities for 
advancement, expand their annual total sales faster, and are nearly 8.5 
percent less likely to go out of business.
  Today, I would like to recognize one such U.S. small business that 
has experienced growth in revenues and employment because they have 
pursued exporting opportunities across the globe. Wild Touch Taxidermy 
in Meridian, ID, a small business dedicated to quality products, has 
achieved an outstanding reputation both domestically and overseas.
  Licensed since 1985, Wild Touch Taxidermy specializes in custom 
taxidermy for customers who desire a unique and high-quality trophy. 
Family owned and operated by Kelly and Sharon Adams, Wild Touch 
Taxidermy lives up to their motto, ``We Do It All.'' The small 
taxidermy business offers a high-quality way to preserve and display 
trophy animals of all sizes and from any country, including skull 
mounts, old mounts, tan hides, and clean skulls. Wild Touch Taxidermy 
operates in a federally approved facility with U.S. Department of 
Agriculture permission, allowing them to receive restricted and out-of-
country imports and enabling them to expand their business 
internationally.
  To bolster its success, Wild Touch Taxidermy took full advantage of 
export assistance through the Idaho Department of Commerce, which 
connected the business to Taiwanese buyers through its trade office in 
Taipei. The business's exposure to the Asian market allowed them to 
expand the business to China. Wild Touch Taxidermy was also provided 
grant funds through the Small Business Administration's State Trade and 
Export Promotion Program, which seeks to grow the number of U.S. small 
businesses that export their goods and services to foreign buyers. The 
additional aid for 2 years allowed the owners to attend several trade 
shows and trade missions in Taiwan and China, which resulted in a boost 
to the business's profitability and international presence. Utilizing 
STEP grants, Wild Touch Taxidermy's actual export sales for year one 
leveraged a return on investment of 15 to 1 and actual export sales for 
year two leveraged a return on investment of 74 to 1, with anticipation 
of more sales in the international market.
  With 29 years of experience, Wild Touch Taxidermy has achieved a 
reputation of excellence both domestically and internationally. Wild 
Touch Taxidermy's dedication to quality, persistence in pursuing new 
opportunities, and their efficient use of export assistance have 
allowed their business to catapult to the next level. I congratulate 
Kelly and Sharon Adams and wish them an abundance of success in the 
future.

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