Yesterday, November 11, 2009, US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack “announced that 70 U.S. trade organizations received more than $234 million in Fiscal Year 2009 to help promote American food and agricultural products overseas.”In the USDA news release Vilsack stated, "Agricultural trade is absolutely crucial to the U.S. economy and by providing this funding to U.S. organizations during these difficult economic times will help open new global markets for American food products [.]”
The funding is coming from the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service, and is allocated from the Market Access Program (MAP) and the Foreign Market Development (FMD) Cooperator Program.
“The Market Access Program uses funds from USDA's Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) to share the costs of overseas market development and promotional activities with U.S. nonprofit agricultural trade organizations, state regional trade groups, and cooperatives. Activities conducted with MAP funding include market research, consumer promotions for retail products, technical capacity building, and seminars to educate overseas customers.”
FMD uses CCC funds to establish partnerships with nonprofit agricultural trade organizations. The funds are prioritized for large-scale organizations that represent an entire industry or have a nationwide focus.
To read the USDA news release and see a list of recipients, click here.
Posted: 11/12/09
