USDA Announces Market Access Program Funding
July 12, 2013 USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) recently awarded fiscal year 2013 funding to more than 70 U.S. agricultural organizations to help expand commercial export markets for their goods.
Under the Market Access Program (MAP), FAS will provide $172.7 million to 70 nonprofit organizations and cooperatives. MAP participants contribute an average 171% match for generic marketing and promotion activities and a dollar-for-dollar match for promotion of branded products by small businesses and cooperatives.
Some of the MAP allocations include:
- Blue Diamond Growers/Almond Board of California, $4,730,517
- California Fresh Tomato Growers/Florida Tomato Committee $324,991
- California Grape and Tree Fruit League $350,000
- Florida Department of Citrus, $4,332,778
- National Potato Promotion Board $4,749,666
- National Watermelon Promotion Board $288,565
- New York Wine and Grape Foundation, $373,986
- Washington Apple Commission, $4,554,909
- U.S. Apple Export Council, $911,674
Under the Foreign Market Development Program (FMD), FAS will allocate $25.4 million to 26 trade organizations that represent U.S. agricultural producers. The organizations, which contribute an average 183% cost share, will conduct activities that help maintain or increase demand for U.S. agricultural commodities overseas.
The FMD allocations includes a cooperator allocation with Almond Board of California for $240,825.
“Through MAP, FMD and other market development programs, USDA helps U.S. agricultural organizations, representing thousands of producers and businesses, open and expand international markets for U.S. agricultural exports,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “Ultimately, these efforts are helping achieve President Obama’s National Export Initiative goal of doubling all U.S. exports by the end of 2014.”
An independent study released in 2010 found that for every $1 expended by government and industry on market development, U.S. food and agricultural exports increase by $35. The past four years represent the strongest period for U.S. agricultural exports in the history of the United States. Farm exports in fiscal year 2012 reached $135.8 billion and supported 1 million jobs in the U.S. Exports of U.S. farm goods in fiscal year 2013 are projected to total $139.5 billion, which would set a new record. Agricultural exports support more than one million jobs and drive economic opportunity in rural America.
A complete list of the agricultural organizations and funding levels can be found here.
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