The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) awarded $100 million to 48 organizations through the Agricultural Trade Promotion Authority (ATP) to help U.S. farmers and ranchers identify and access new export markets.
In May, President Trump authorized USDA to provide up to $16 billion in programs to support farmers, which is in line with the estimated impacts of unjustified retaliatory tariffs on U.S. agricultural goods and other trade disruptions. ATP is one of three programs that will assist farmers and ranchers while the president works to address long-standing market access barriers.
“China and other nations haven’t played by the rules for a long time and President Trump is standing up to them, sending a clear message that the United States will no longer tolerate their unfair trade practices,” Perdue said. “At USDA, we are always looking to expand existing markets or open new ones and this infusion of money will do just that. American farmers are so productive that we need to continue to expand our markets wherever we can to sell the bounty of the American harvest.”
The 48 recipients are among the cooperator organizations that applied for $200 million in ATP funds in 2018 that were awarded earlier this year. As part of a new round of support for farmers impacted by unjustified retaliation and trade disruption, those groups had the opportunity to be considered for additional support for their work to boost exports for U.S. agriculture, food, fish and forestry products.
Since the $200 million in assistance was announced in January, U.S. exporters have had significant success, including a trade mission to Pakistan that generated $10 million in projected 2019 sales of pulse crops. A new marketing program for Alaska seafood led to more than $4 million in sales of salmon to Vietnam and Thailand, and a comprehensive marketing effort by the U.S. soybean industry increased exposure in more than 50 international markets. These funds will continue to generate sales and business for U.S. farmers, ranchers and exporters many times over as promotional activity continues for the next couple of years.