WASHINGTON — The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced the allotment of $300 million in funding to 66 American organizations representing the best interests of food producers and farmers. 

The USDA’s Regional Agricultural Promotion Program (RAPP) awarded the funding to support the expansion of American-made products to export markets worldwide.

“USDA and the entire Biden-Harris Administration are focused on creating more new and better markets for US producers and agribusinesses, and exports are a critical part of that effort,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “By enabling US exporters to expand their footprint in diverse and dynamic new markets, RAPP will help make them more competitive and resilient in an increasingly volatile global trading environment.”

One of the recipients of funding was the US Meat Export Federation (USMEF), which will receive $21 million through RAPP and use Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) funds to diversify market exports of US products.

“USMEF is honored to participate in RAPP, and we thank Secretary Vilsack and the staff at USDA for their vision and leadership in implementing this program,” said Dan Halstrom, president and chief executive officer of USMEF. “The additional investment in foreign market development is very timely and will be especially helpful in expanding demand for US red meat in emerging export markets.”

Halstrom also stated that the association appreciated the role Congressional leaders played in developing RAPP. He thanked them for supporting this program and prioritizing the Market Access Program (MAP) and Foreign Market Development (FMD) funding in the new Farm Bill.

Daniel Whitley, administrator of the US Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), also commented on the RAPP resources during the USMEF Spring Conference in Kansas City, Mo., this week. 

The program aims to help US exporters expand their customer base beyond traditional export markets and develop regions like Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia.

Whitley also discussed the importance of funding these efforts for American agriculture to remain in a strong exporting position. He explained that the funding is important to keep the United States ahead of possible misinformation being distributed about US exports.

“It is critical that we give producers the tools they need to compete and be successful in these markets because some of our customers may be getting mixed messages about the quality of our products and the safety of our products,” Whitley said during the conference. “That’s why I think it’s very important that we have these tools and we partner with all of you.”

The USA Poultry and Egg Export Council (USAPEEC) was also issued more than $9 million under the new federal RAPP program to help market US poultry and egg products around the globe.

Greg Tyler, president and CEO of USAPEEC, said he is thankful for the government’s support and belief in the value of exports and the need to grow existing markets and develop new ones. He said the impact on poultry and egg exports would be significant.

“The positive impact of sustained investment in export promotion is profound, benefiting consumers, businesses, and economies globally, as well as our own US agricultural economy,” Tyler said. “This funding empowers American producers to not only compete in established markets but also to venture into new ones.”

Vilsack established RAPP in the fall of 2023 with $1.2 million dedicated to supporting export market expansion in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and South and Southeast Asia. According to the USDA, these markets reflect areas where “consumer demand and purchasing power are growing,” and serve to diversify the United States’ export market opportunities beyond traditional partnerships with Canada, Mexico, the European Union and China.

“We know the potential is out there, but it takes time and money to grow new markets,” Vilsack stated. “USDA is pleased to be able to provide the start-up capital to help tap into these opportunities, because if we are serious about reversing the decline of small and mid-sized farms, and building wealth that stays in rural communities, it’s crucial that we create and sustain diverse market opportunities abroad as well as at home.”

Some of the other associations to receive RAPP funding included the US Livestock Genetics Export ($4,752,000), the US Dairy Export Council ($10 million), the North American Renderers Association ($3.3 million), and the American Sheep Industry Association ($1.2 million). The complete list is available here.

In January, USMEF received more than $12 million from the MAP and FMD programs, while USAPEEC received more than $5 million.