The Agriculture Department awarded $200 million through two programs to help 70 agricultural organizations build overseas markets for U.S. farm exports, which generate 20 cents of each $1 in net cash farm income. Most of the money, $173.5 million, will flow through the cost-sharing Market Access Program (MAP).
Under MAP, trade groups carry out generic promotion of U.S. products while small businesses and cooperatives are allowed to promote branded products. The largest recipients of MAP funding for fiscal 2017 were Cotton Council International, $14.9 million, and U.S. Meat Export Federation, $13.3 million.
The remaining $26.6 million for fiscal 2017 was awarded through the Foreign Market Development (FMD) program. Participants devote their work to generic promotion of U.S. farm products. The American Soybean Association was the largest recipient with $6.57 million, followed by Cotton Council International with $3.98 million.