Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced on Tuesday that the USDA will allocate $300 million to 66 organizations to build demand for American food and farm exports around the world.
Under the new Regional Agriculture Promotion Program (RAPP), the funds will be used to expand exports beyond traditional markets to places such as Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and South and Southeast Asia.
“By enabling U.S. 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,” Vilsack said in a statement.
This initial round of RAPP funding will be used on hundreds of projects. Those include the Southern Forest Products Association targeting new opportunities for southern yellow pine products throughout the Caribbean, the Hazelnut Marketing Board conducting market research and development in several African countries, and the Brewers Association tapping into the craft beer scene in Southeast Asia.
See the full list of recipients here.
Vilsack said RAPP is an important step in reversing the decline of small and mid-sized farms by building and sustaining new and diverse market opportunities for them abroad.
