ASA and fellow members of the Coalition to Promote U.S. Agricultural Exports wrote to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Chairman Robert Aderholt (R-Ala.) and Ranking Member Sam Farr (D-Calif.) to urge strong support for maintaining funding for the Market Access Program (MAP) and Foreign Market Development (FMD) during the subcommittee’s consideration of the FY 14 Agriculture Appropriations bill.

We strongly urge that MAP and FMD be funded at no less than $200 million and $34.5 million respectively for FY 14, which are the current year levels," wrote the groups. "MAP, which is administered by USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), forms a highly successful partnership between non-profit U.S. agricultural trade associations, farmer cooperatives, non-profit state-regional trade groups, small businesses and USDA to share the costs of international marketing and promotional activities such as consumer promotions, market research, trade shows, and trade servicing. The FMD program benefits U.S. producers, processors, and exporters by assisting their organizations in developing new foreign markets and increasing market share in existing markets. Overseas promotions are targeted toward long term development. MAP and FMD are distinct, separate programs that address different aspects of market development and promotion and are examples of some of the most successful public-private partnerships."