ASTA Supports Increased Funding for Critical Ag Export Programs

ASTA and other members of the Coalition to Promote U.S. Agricultural Exports and the Agribusiness Coalition for Foreign Market Development are calling for the passage of S. 1839, the Cultivating Revitalization by Expanding American Agricultural Trade and Exports (CREAATE) Act. Introduced in the Senate on September 19 by Sen. Angus King (I-ME), Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), Sen. Joe Donnelly (D-IN), and Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), the CREAATE Act follows the House version, H.R. 2321, introduced May 3 by Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) and Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME).

CREAATE seeks to expand the successful Market Access Program (MAP) and Foreign Market Development (FMD) program to boost trade’s impact on U.S. farmer profitability and the U.S. economy. The bill would increase statutory funding for the programs, which are now authorized at $200 million per year for MAP and $34.5 million per year for FMD. Both have faced stagnant funding and eroding real-dollar impact due to inflation, sequestration, administrative costs and increased global competition. CREAATE calls for phasing in additional annual funding for MAP to $400 million in FY 2023 and additional annual funding for FMD to $69 million in FY 2023.

For more information, visit Ag Exports Count https://www.agexportscount.com/resources/.