WASHINGTON, D.C., Dec. 3, 2021 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) has awarded fiscal year 2022 funding to more than 60 U.S. agricultural organizations to help expand commercial export markets for U.S. goods.
The Market Access Program (MAP) focuses on consumer promotion, including brand promotion for small companies and cooperatives, and is used extensively by organizations promoting fruits, vegetables, nuts, processed products, and bulk and intermediate commodities. The Foreign Market Development (FMD) Program focuses on trade servicing and trade capacity building by helping to create, expand and maintain long-term export markets for U.S. agricultural products.
“The Market Access and Foreign Market Development programs benefit producers throughout the United States, building markets for a wide variety of U.S. farm and food products around the globe,” said FAS Administrator Daniel Whitley. “These programs play a significant role in supporting the U.S. agricultural industry that achieved record exports in 2021 and is projected to do even better in 2022. Increased exports are critical to expand farm incomes, improve the economic health of rural communities, and ensure nutrition security here at home and overseas.”
Under the Market Access Program, FAS will provide $175.6 million for fiscal year 2022 to 67 nonprofit organizations and cooperatives. These organizations use the funds to support U.S. producers with marketing and promotion activities around the globe, including market research, technical assistance, and support for participation in trade fairs and exhibits. The average MAP participant provides more than $3.50 in contributions for every $1 in federal funding it receives through the program.
Under the Foreign Market Development Program, FAS will allocate $26.8 million for fiscal year 2022 to 21 trade organizations that represent U.S. agricultural producers. The program focuses on generic promotion of U.S. commodities, rather than consumer–oriented promotion of branded products. Preference is given to organizations that represent an entire industry or are nationwide in membership and scope. The organizations, which contribute on average more than $2.50 for every $1 in federal funding they receive through the program, will conduct activities that help maintain or increase demand for U.S. agricultural commodities overseas.
USDA’s international market development programs have had a significant and positive impact on U.S. agricultural exports. An independent study released in 2016 found that MAP and FMD provide $28 in export gains for every $1 spent by government and industry on market development.
Agricultural exports have grown significantly over the past decades, becoming an increasingly important component of the agriculture industry and accounting for 20 percent of U.S. production. From 2000 to 2020, U.S. agricultural exports grew from $56 billion to $150 billion. It is estimated that U.S. agricultural exports supported nearly 1.1 million full-time jobs in 2019.
USDA has published the list of organizations that will receive fiscal year 2022 MAP awards and FMD awards. To learn more about MAP, FMD and other FAS programs, visit www.fas.usda.gov.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy, and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.
#
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
In This Issue:
USRPA staff member Mollie Buckler attended the 49th Annual Missouri Governor’s Conference on Agriculture at the Lake of the Ozarks last week. Rice Extension Specialist Justin Chlapecka also represented the Missouri Rice Council at the conference. The event brought together producers and agribusiness leaders from around the state of Missouri, with sessions on agriculture policy, economics, succession planning, labor challenges, and more.
Last week, the South Louisiana Rail Facility in partnership with Agreeta celebrated the groundbreaking of its new milling facility in Laccassine, Louisiana. Special guests who spoke at the ceremony included Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards, Louisiana Ag Commissioner Mike Strain, Parneet Swani, Director of Agreeta, and Corinna Baban, President of Agreeta USA.
Governor Edwards thanked Mark Pousson, General Manager of the South Louisiana Rail Facility, saying, “Mark has been tireless – thank you for what you’ve done for the state of Louisiana.”
The rail facility with access to the Port of Lake Charles opens the opportunity for direct rice sales from Louisiana and East Texas to Mexico and Central America. “The new mill is another resource for U.S. rice farmers to continue to provide a quality product to our customers for generations to come,” Pousson said, “We went from loading rail cars, then vessels and now operating our own rice mill, giving another marketing option for our members in just nine years.”
Among those in attendance, a strong delegation from the Central American Rice Federation (FECARROZ) joined the celebration and attended a dinner and reception hosted by LIRPA & SLRF the previous night. The USRPA hosts FECARROZ each year as a way for the groups to come together and discuss the market, future promotions, and trade policies. The FECARROZ delegation was grateful to meet and talk with the rice farmers whose hands grow and deliver the rice they buy for their countries. They were also able to meet and chat with Governor Edwards immediately before the groundbreaking ceremony.
The US Rice Producers Association is proud to be a strong ally and advocate of the Louisiana Independent Rice Producers Association and the South Louisiana Rail Facility, whose hard work has made the new milling facility a reality.
In This Issue:
In This Issue:
In This Issue:
In This Issue:
In This Issue:
Tune in this week to RFD-TV for a special episode of Texas Agriculture Matters featuring Texas Rice Council President, Tommy Turner, and US Rice Producers Association Vice-Chairman, Neal Stoesser.
Commissioner Sid Miller takes a tour of Texas rice production in the upper coastal region. See how this crop brings almost $200 million to the state's economy and provides thousands of jobs for Texans. GO TEXAN: Accompany Moonflower Farms as they use space-age technology to solve real-world problems.
The new episode will be featured live on Tuesday, October 26, 2021, at 6:00 pm CST, and Friday, October 29, 2021, at 6:00 am CST.
To find out if RFD-TV is available in your area, visit their website at: https://www.rfdtv.com/find-us
25722 Kingsland Blvd., Ste. 203, Katy, Texas 77494
Phone: 713-974-7423
USRPA does not discriminate in its programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, or marital/family status. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of information (such as Braille, large print, American sign language, language translation, etc.) should contact USRPA at 713-974-7423. EEO.
