These efforts will help to support further growth in U.S. agricultural exports and introduce high-quality U.S. agricultural products to new markets, USDA said.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced next steps in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) efforts to bolster U.S. agricultural trade, including the department’s planned trade missions for 2024 and the opening of a public comment period for the new Regional Agricultural Promotion Program (RAPP). These efforts will help to support further growth in U.S. agricultural exports and introduce high-quality U.S. agricultural products to new markets, USDA said.
“Market diversification is an important tool for maximizing growth opportunities for U.S. agriculture, as well as hedging the risk of market contraction and general volatility in the global marketplace,” said Vilsack. “USDA is committed to promoting export opportunities in non-traditional markets and ensuring that U.S. agricultural commodities and products are available to diverse consumer groups around the world.”
In October, Vilsack announced that USDA will use $1.3 billion from the Commodity Credit Corporation funds to establish RAPP, bolster and diversify U.S. agricultural export opportunities and strengthen support for specialty crop industries. This investment will enable American exporters to enter new markets and expand market share in current and growth markets, said USDA. On Nov. 17, USDA published regulations for RAPP, which are open for public comment through Dec. 18.
U.S. agricultural exports totaled a record $196 billion in 2022, following a record setting year in 2021. USDA export promotion programs support efforts to continue market expansion for U.S. food and agricultural products. These programs are just one tool that USDA utilizes to ensure market access. The department reported numerous trade policy wins over the last several years that provided new opportunities for U.S. farmers and ranchers, including:
USDA plans to build on these successes and highlight export opportunities in additional markets through its agribusiness trade mission schedule next year. USDA will lead trade missions to the following markets in 2024:
For more information about RAPP and agribusiness trade missions, visit www.fas.usda.gov.