Planning session with USA Rice leadership, staff, and USDA International Trade Specialist Curtis McCoy (second from left)
Jan 11, 2024
SAN JOSÉ, COSTA RICA – Earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture/Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA/FAS) announced the 2024 Market Access Program (MAP) and Foreign Market Development (FMD) allocations, with USA Rice receiving more than $5.2 million. Leadership from the USA Rice International Promotion Committee and the USA Rice Council met here this week to discuss promotion programs and develop a proposed 2024 MAP/FMD budget that will be presented for approval to the USA Rice International Promotion Committee.
“Since our crop has rebounded this year, we’re seeing many interested in importing U.S. rice again and joining in our promotional programs,” said USA Rice President & CEO Peter Bachmann.
USA Rice utilizes a combination of state checkoff funds, industry dues, and federal funds to conduct marketing activities aimed at increasing the volume and value of all types and forms of U.S. rice exports in nearly two dozen overseas markets.
“The U.S. rice industry would not have the overseas footprint we do without the MAP and FMD programs,” said Steve Vargas, senior vice president of global rice trading for Sun Valley Rice and chair of the USA Rice International Promotion Committee. “These funds have helped us maintain exports to Japan and the United Kingdom, build consumer preference for U.S. rice in Mexico and the West Bank, and expose new importers to U.S. rice throughout the world.”
USA Rice also received an additional $77,877 on behalf of the U.S. wild rice associations, the California Wild Rice Advisory Board and the Minnesota Cultivated Wild Rice Council, to develop promotional activities for those products as well.