Agriculture Secretary
Tom Vilsack
announced today that the
U.S. Department of Agriculture
is allocating
$300 million
to 66 U.S. organizations, under the new Regional Agricultural Promotion Program (RAPP), to build demand for American food and farm exports in high-potential markets around the globe.
Secretary Vilsack launched
RAPP
in
October 2023
, authorizing
$1.2 billion
in
Commodity Credit Corporation
funding to help
U.S.
exporters expand their customer base beyond traditional and established markets, focusing on regions such as
Africa
,
Latin America
and the
Caribbean
, and South and
Southeast Asia
, where consumer demand and purchasing power are growing.
"
USDA
and the entire
Biden-Harris Administration
are focused on creating more, new and better markets for
U.S.
producers and agribusinesses, and exports are a critical part of that effort," Vilsack said. "By enabling
U.S.
exporters to expand their footprint in diverse and dynamic new markets,
RAPP
will help make them more competitive and resilient in an increasingly volatile global trading environment. We know the potential is out there, but it takes time and money to grow new markets.
USDA
is pleased to be able to provide the start-up capital to help tap into these opportunities, because if we are serious about reversing the decline of small and mid-sized farms, and building wealth that stays in rural communities, it's crucial that we create and sustain diverse market opportunities abroad as well as at home."
The initial round of
RAPP
funding will help recipient organizations carry out hundreds of projects encompassing a wide variety of products and markets. For example:
The Cranberry Institute
plans to conduct trade education seminars and other consumer-focused activities to target export opportunities in
India
,
Brazil
,
Colombia
and
Southeast Asia
.
The
Southern Forest Products Association
is targeting new market opportunities for Southern yellow pine products throughout the
Caribbean
region through educational seminars and promotional events.
The Hazelnut Marketing Board will conduct market research and trade missions to facilitate support market development in several African countries.
The
U.S. Dairy Export Council
plans to expand its presence in
Africa
by utilizing
RAPP
funding to better understand and develop dairy import regulations and regulatory frameworks in many markets.
The
U.S. Meat Export Federation
plans to expand its export efforts to new markets in the
ASEAN
region and throughout
Africa
, as well as enhance its investment in the convenience store segment in
South Korea
,
Central America
and
Colombia
.
The Brewers Association
will tap into the burgeoning craft beer scene in
Southeast Asia
, taking part in the region's premier brewing trade show and festival and also bringing buyers from the region to the top trade shows in
the United States
.
To view the complete list of organizations that received
RAPP
funding, please visit the following link: FY 2024 RAPP Funding Allocations.
USDA
touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. Under the
Biden-Harris Administration
,
USDA
is transforming America's food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate-smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.
#
USDA
is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
***
Original text here: https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2024/05/21/usda-awards-300-million-diversify-export-markets-us-agriculture
