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Oct 24, 2013
In welcome news for ASA’s colleagues at the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) and the World Initiative for Soy in Human Health (WISHH), USDA late last week authorized Cooperators to utilize carryover FMD funds to carry out FY14 activities.
“While this certainly doesn’t take the place of a new allocation of funds that can only happen when the FMD and MAP programs are reauthorized either in a new Farm Bill or an extension of the existing one, it does provide some needed additional funding and flexibility,” said ASA CEO Steve Censky in an email to ASA directors.
Before the end of the FY13 year, FAS made an additional allocation of funding to ASA of more than $1 million, that represented funding in excess of the sequester that had been withheld, as well as other funding. This funding now can be utilized by USSEC and WISHH.
Over the past weeks and months, ASA specifically requested that the Department make this policy decision. ASA made this request to both USDA Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden and FAS Administrator Phil Karsting, as well as to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in July.
