USDA Awards 2017 Funding for Market Development Programs

The Department of Agriculture announced $200 million in awards for market development programs in 2017. The funding will help more than 70 U.S. agricultural organizations expand export markets for U.S. agriculture through the USDA Market Access Program and the Foreign Market Development Program. USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack Tuesday said the investments boost agricultural export revenue and volume, while also supporting farm income. The Market Access Program will provide $173.5 million in fiscal year 2017 funding to 70 nonprofit organizations and cooperatives. USDA says the organizations use the funds to help U.S. agricultural producers promote their products to consumers around the globe. The Foreign Market Development program will allocate $26.6 million in fiscal year 2017 funds to 26 trade organizations that represent U.S. agricultural producers. The program focuses on generic promotion of U.S. commodities, rather than consumer-oriented promotion of branded products.