USDA solicits applications for export marketing programs

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service on Friday said it’s now accepting applications for fiscal year 2017 funding for five export market development programs.    The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service is now accepting applications for fiscal year 2017 funding for five export market development programs, the department said Friday.
   Applications for the Market Access Program, Foreign Market Development Program, Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops Program, Quality Samples Program and Emerging Markets Program are due by June 3, 2016.
   “With the support of these FAS market development programs, U.S. agricultural exports have climbed more than 35 percent since 2009, totaling a record $919.6 billion over the past seven years,” said FAS Administrator Phil Karsting, in a statement.
   Under the Market Access Program, USDA provides competitive, cost-share help to U.S. exporters and trade groups for international marketing and promotion of U.S. commodities and products, while for its Foreign Market Development Program, the department partners with nonprofit agricultural trade associations to build longer-term international demand for U.S. commodities.
   The Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops Program funds projects that address sanitary, phytosanitary, and technical barriers that prohibit or threaten the export of U.S. specialty crops, and the Quality Samples Program helps agricultural trade organizations provide small samples of their products to potential importers.
   Lastly, the Emerging Markets Program supports technical assistance activities for the promotion of U.S. farm products in emerging, overseas markets.
   More information about these programs and applying can be found on the FAS website.