exports

The US Government has announced funds of more than $173 million to be used next year to increase exports of American agricultural products.

Washington apple growers, Florida citrus producers, California’s table grape sector and the Northwest pear industry are among those set to benefit from multi-million dollar allocations.

 

Cranberry, cling peach, cherry, sweet potato, tomato, and organic produce organisations are also among the recipients.

 

Through the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Market Access Program (MAP), the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) will provide $173.2 million (up from nearly $172 million last year) to 62 nonprofit organisations and cooperatives. Participants contribute an average 214% match for generic marketing and promotion activities and a dollar-for-dollar match for promotion of branded products by small businesses and cooperatives.

 

MAP focuses on consumer promotion, including brand promotion for small companies and cooperatives, and is used extensively by organisations promoting fruits, vegetables, nuts, processed products, and bulk and intermediate commodities.

 

Meanwhile, under the Foreign Market Development (FMD) Program (also known as the Cooperator Program), FAS will allocate $26.7 million (up from $24.6 million last year) to 22 trade organizations that represent U.S. agricultural producers.

 

The FMD program focuses on trade servicing and capacity building by helping to create, expand and maintain long-term export markets for US agricultural products.

 

An independent study released in 2010 found that trade promotion programs like MAP and FMD provide $35 in economic benefits for every dollar spent by government and industry on market development, the USDA said in a press release.

 

“The past six years represent the strongest period for U.S. agricultural exports in the history of the United States. Farm exports in fiscal year 2014 reached a record $152.5 billion and supported 1 million jobs in the United States,” it also said.

Here is our summary of this year and last year’s funding most relevant to the fresh fruit and vegetable sector:

 

USDA Market Access Program (MAP) funding: Participant FY 2015 Allocation FY 2014 Allocation Food Export Association of Midwest $10,272,114 $9,637,643 Food Export USA Northeast $8,896,086 $8,138,985 Western US Agricultural Trade Association $7,705,129 $8,097,508 Southern United States Trade Association $7,152,346 $5,874,329 Washington Apple Commission $5,179,019 $4,930,752 National Potato Promotion Board $4,998,822 $3,647,427 Florida Department of Citrus $4,383,830 $3,885,364 California Table Grape Commission $3,424,871 $3,093,070 Pear Bureau Northwest $3,069,707 $2,926,873 California Prune Board $3,023,063 $2,668,406 Raisin Administrative Committee $3,018,117 $827,922 Sunkist Growers, Inc. $2,660,274 $2,372,577 National Association of State Departments of Agriculture $2,329,520 $3,533,072 Cranberry Marketing Committee* $1,791,836 $1,561,170 Washington State Fruit Commission $1,685,709 $1,361,810 U.S. Apple Export Council $998,650 $712,727 Welch Foods, Inc. $932,734 $834,411 California Agricultural Export Council $861,378 $1,228,525 Organic Trade Association $784,902 $746,912 Intertribal Agriculture Council $728,492 $642,528 California Cling Peach Growers Advisory Board $500,182 $444,892 California Pear Advisory Board $468,842 $442,081 California Cherry Marketing and Research Board $443,722 $519,189 New York Wine and Grape Foundation $422,674 $484,886 California Grape and Tree Fruit League $413,125 $420,800 Synergistic Hawaii Agriculture Council $379,415 $388,412 Cherry Marketing Institute $290,042 $204,115 American Sweet Potato Marketing Institute $200,000 $200,000 Florida Tomato Committee $3,578   National Watermelon Promotion Board   $290,367 *Cranberry Marketing Committee also received the following in Foreign Market Development Funds (FMD) $182,665 $153,754