U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack yesterday announced the allocation of $234.5 million to 70 U.S. trade organizations to help promote American food and agricultural products overseas, including beef and beef by-products. The funding was allocated under the Market Access Program (MAP) and the Foreign Market Development Cooperator Program (FMDCP), both administered by USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS).
Vilsack said in today’s aggressive international markets the U.S. must provide its exporters with the resources needed to be competitive overseas. Funding provided through MAP and FMDCP is used, in part, for market research, consumer promotions for retail, indentifying new markets or uses for U.S. products and modifying restrictive regulatory codes and standards in foreign markets.
"When you consider the current global financial crisis, increasing production in key competitor countries and aggressive use of export promotion tools by our competitors, USDA's market development programs are more important than ever," said Vilsack.
Source : Kansas Livestock Association