Record ag exports grin

WASHINGTON, DC -- Yesterday, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) has awarded funding to more than 60 U.S. agricultural organizations, including USA Rice Federation, to help expand commercial export markets for American products.  

For FY 2015, USA Rice received $4,225,914 to promote rice in over 30 countries throughout the world. 

The funding comes from the Market Access Program (MAP) and Foreign Market Development program (FMD) which are cost-share programs that promote and build demand overseas for U.S. agricultural commodities and products.  An independent study released in 2010 found that USDA trade promotion programs like MAP and FMD provide $35 in economic benefits for every dollar spent by government and industry on market development.

Over 60 cooperator groups compete for MAP/FMD funds, with new cooperator groups being added each year.  Each year's allocation is the result of a competitive review of past program performance and industry support for the promotion programs.  It is worth noting that the U.S. rice industry has some of the highest levels of industry support amongst all of the agriculture commodities, adding more than $20 million in matching funds to support rice exports. 

"Every year, USA Rice compiles data, performance measurements and market information for each of the countries and regions where we conduct programs, and this becomes the basis of our request," said Jim Guinn.  "We also point to growing our potential markets, such as Colombia and China, as new destinations for U.S. rice."

U.S. farm exports have soared to a record $152.5 billion - up from last year's $141 billion level, according to data tabulated by USDA.

Contact:  Sarah Moran  (703) 236-1457

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