A typical standing room only USA Rice promotion
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WASHNGTON, DC – Today USA Rice submitted an application for 2017 funding under the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) trade programs. The application, referred to as the Unified Export Strategy (UES), is the official request document where USA Rice and other commodity groups, called “cooperators,” describe their strategic approach to promoting U.S. agricultural products abroad.
In the current year, USA Rice received $4.36 million in base funding, plus an additional $173,000 in Global Broad-based Initiative funding for Africa and $61,000 in Emerging Market Program funds for China. This year’s USA Rice UES submission reflects significant changes in overseas markets for U.S. rice.
For example, USA Rice is proposing increasing promotional efforts and investment in the UK and China, two markets with demonstrated opportunity, and scaling back on funding for promotions in Ghana. Aggressive promotions programs also are planned for Mexico, Central America, and the Andean region to defend current market share and expand opportunities for U.S. rice.
In fact, USA Rice is leading a trade mission for U.S. rice farmers, millers, and merchants to Colombia next week to observe promotional activities and meet with the trade.
Another strategic area of focus is Cuba, and though FAS resources cannot currently be used for promotions there, industry-funded investments will be used to target that potential market.
“With about half of our crop bound for export each year, preserving and growing markets, and fighting unfair trade practices overseas is our primary focus,” said USA Rice Vice President of International Promotion Jim Guinn. “The support we receive from FAS is vital and the millions more in industry contributions that we add to these funds make our important work possible and our efforts successful for our industry.”
The FAS program is a matching program and the U.S. rice industry contributes over $6 for each dollar of FAS funds received.