Study Shows Foreign Competitors Increase Investment in Developing Ag Exports While U.S. Lags Behind
- On February 12, 2018
According to the Coalition to Promote U.S. Agricultural Exports (the Coalition), the latest analysis of foreign export promotion program investments shows that several competing countries and the European Union spent close to $1 billion in public funds on agricultural export promotion in 2016, outspending the United States 4 to 1. This represents an increase of 70 percent in real competitive public spending since 2011. U.S. public funding for the two largest agricultural export promotion programs is about $235 million per year and its real value has declined by 12 percent since 2011.
The study underscores the need for increased federal investments in cost-share export programs with USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service. As a member of the Coalition, ASTA is asking for a boost in MAP and FMD funding as part of the new farm bill.
The executive summary of the Informa Economics competitive study, and more in-depth information about MAP and FMD programs and their outcomes, are posted online at www.AgExportsCount.org.
