USDA offers shippers free on-line access to trade database

USDA offers shippers free on-line access to trade database    The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service will provide free access to its online database of more than 3,800 American shippers and their products.
   USDA said the database was developed to connect potential buyers with U.S. suppliers. It contains more than 500 product categories for shippers to include on this listing.
   The list is used by more than 80 USDA offices overseas to help export agents, trading companies, importers and foreign buyers locate U.S. suppliers. It is also used to recruit U.S. exporters to participate in market development activities such as overseas trade shows and missions.
   “It is part of our overall effort at USDA to provide tools to unleash the full potential of information technology,” said Foreign Agricultural Service administrator A. Ellen Terpstra in a statement.
   The list is available on the Foreign Agricultural Service Web site under “Exporter Assistance” at https://www.fas.usda.gov/agexport/exporter.html.