The Agriculture Department distributed $200 million in cost-sharing funds to 84 organizations to promote U.S. farm exports and to build markets for the products overseas. The bulk of the money, $173.2 million, will flow through the Market Access Program, which focuses on building consumer demand. The largest recipients are Cotton Council International, $16.7 million, U.S. Meat Export Federation, $10.7 million, and Food Export Association of the Midwest, $10.3 million.
Some 22 trade organizations were awarded a total of $26.7 million through the Foreign Market Program for work to build or maintain markets for U.S. farm goods. The American Soybean Association was the largest recipient in that program, at $7.3 million.