USDA awards funds for foreign market development

More than 60 U.S. agricultural organizations have been awarded fiscal year 2016 funding by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack through the Foreign Agricultural Service.

The funding is designed to expand commercial exports for United States goods.

"USDA continues to expand markets for American goods abroad, work aggressively to break down barriers to trade, and assist U.S. businesses with the resources needed to reach consumers around the world," Vilsack said. "Together, market access and market development activities can help agricultural organizations representing thousands of producers and businesses open and grow markets for American products around the world."

The Foreign Market Development (FMD) Program, under the Market Access Program (MAP), will provide $172.8 million for fiscal year 2016 to 62 nonprofit organizations and cooperatives and $27.5 million to 23 trade organizations representing United States agricultural producers.

MAP’s goal is to promote small companies and cooperatives, while FMD focuses on establishing and maintaining export markets for United States agricultural products. The nonprofit organizations will use the money for promotion of products including market research, technical assistance and support for participation in trade fairs and exhibits. The trade organizations will use the money for activities to promote United States agricultural commodities around the world.

In the 2015 fiscal year, U.S. farmers and ranchers exported $139.7 billion of food and agricultural goods worldwide.