The California Table Grape Commission, Florida Department of Citrus, Pear Bureau Northwest and Washington Apple Commission are amongst the fresh produce organisations that stand to benefit from more than US$234m awarded by the US Department of Agriculture in fiscal 2008. In total, the USDA will provide funding to 70 US trade organisations to help promote American farm products overseas.
“Agricultural trade is absolutely vital to the US economy,” said Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer. “This funding will help US farmers and ranchers develop overseas consumers who value the United States as an excellent supplier of superior agricultural products.”
The funding has been allocated under the Market Access Programme (MAP) and the Foreign Market Development Programme, both administered by the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Services.
MAP uses funds from the USDA’s Commodity Credit Corporation to share the costs of overseas marketing and promotional activities with US agricultural trade organisations, state regional trade groups and cooperatives. Activities conducted with MAP funding include market research, consumer promotions for retail products and seminars to educate overseas customers.
Under the Foreign Market Development Programme, the USDA establishes a partnership with non-profit US agricultural trade organisations. Funding priority is given to organisations that represent an entire industry or are nationwide in membership and scope. Programme activities focus on reducing market impediments, improving the processing capabilities of importers, modifying restrictive regulatory codes and standards in foreign markets and identifying new markets or uses for US products.
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