The U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agriculture Service is making available $202 million to sixty commodity associations to expand exports.  $175 million will be assigned to the Market Access Program and the remainder into the Foreign Market Development Program.  Funds will be used to develop marketing and promotion activities including research, technical assistance and support for trade fairs and exhibits.  It is estimated that the benefit to cost ratio for Market Access Program funding ranges from 2.5 to 3.0.

The Foreign Market Development Program concentrates on promotion of specific U.S. commodities and is instrumental in establishing and increasing demand in foreign markets.

Daniel Whitley, Administrator of the Foreign Agriculture Service stated, “With industry matching funds, federal investments in these market development programs not only increase agricultural export revenue and volume but also improves farm income and strengthens the U.S. economy.”

A study conducted at Texas A&M University ascertained that Market Access and Foreign Market Development funds contribute $45 billion annually in economic output.