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Ag export promotion from U.S. pales other countries

 

A spokesperson with the U.S. Meat Export Federation says it’s imperative for the U.S. to maintain funding of ag export promotion programs in the next farm bill.

Greg Hanes with the federation says the results of a new study by Informa Economics on foreign ag export promotions are startling, “They found that the European wine industry alone was receiving over $300 million just for their promotions.  The wine industry is already more than the entire ag community in the United States is receiving on ag promotions internationally.”

When accounting for inflation, investment in USDA’s largest export promotion programs has declined 12 percent since 2011. At the same time, the study found several competing countries outspend the U.S. 4 to 1.

Hanes believes USDA’s nearly $235 million annual investment in the Foreign Market Development (FMD) and Market Access Programs (MAP) needs to be at least maintained if not increased in the next farm bill for the U.S. to remain competitive.