US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced details of $234m in funding to boost the country’s exports of fruit and vegetables.

Mr Vilsack said US$200m came from the US Market Access Program, a scheme that organises activities like market research, consumer promotions and technical education seminars.

The other US$34m came from the Foreign Market Development programme, which creates a partnership between US agricultural trade bodies to focus on breaking down market barriers and exploring new export opportunities.

Both programmes use funds from the USDA Commodity Credit Corporation.

Speaking in Kansas City at the National Association of Farm Broadcasters convention, Mr Vilsack said 70 US trade organisations received money from the fund.

Despite earlier industry fears that the US would be cutting its funding to the agricultural sector, Kam Quarles of the United Fresh Produce Association told The Packer next year’s funding would remain on a par with this year’s figures.

“The administration had proposed a cut in their budget, but Congress did not make that change for fiscal year 2010 and it is continuing under the full level of mandatory funding in the farm bill,” he said.

Some of the big winners across the fresh produce sector were the California Table Grape Commission (US$3.6m), the Florida Department of Citrus (US$4.9m) and the Washington Apple Commission (US$4.9m).

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