MARKET ACCESS PROGRAM ALLOCATIONS Release No. 0075.97 Tom Amontree (202) 720-4623 Donald Washington (202) 720-3101 USDA ANNOUNCES MARKET ACCESS PROGRAM ALLOCATIONS FOR FISCAL 1997 WASHINGTON, March 6, 1997--Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman today announced 1997 allocations of $90 million to 64 U.S. trade organizations for export promotion activities under the Market Access Program (MAP). "The goal of this cost-share program is simple -- to help U.S. products with the best potential to take off in a foreign market," Glickman said. "For U.S. farmers and taxpayers, the end result is increased export demand for American food, seafood and forest products and jobs created to produce those products." "U.S. agricultural exports hit a record $59.8 billion last year -- creating jobs and economic activity throughout our country," Glickman said. "In fact, in 1996, agricultural exports generated close to 900,000 full-time jobs -- including 562,000 off-farm sector jobs. We have 23 percent of the world market and each extra percentage point that we capture means an additional $3 billion in sales of American agricultural products. That's why it is critical that we provide this type of export assistance to American companies," Glickman said. "With a world market more competitive than ever, the need to continue aggressive, innovative export efforts for agriculture, our nation's No. 1 industry, has never been more urgent. Just about anywhere you look, U.S. competitors around the globe are gearing up to take advantage of growing global trade. We need to meet this competition head on," Glickman said. Under the 1997 MAP allocation, 84 percent of the brand promotion funds will assist small and medium sized companies and cooperatives. In 1996, USDA cut funding to large companies by 35 percent, funding for large companies is being reduced in 1997 by 45 percent and will be eliminated entirely in the 1998 allocation process. "In 1997, MAP funds allocated to large companies will represent only four percent of the entire program," Glickman said. "This is the last year of the phase-out for large companies. Beginning in 1998, the entire focus of this proven, GATT legal export expansion tool will be to assist small and medium-sized U.S. food companies, cooperatives, and exporters to capitalize on global market opportunities." All program applications are subjected to a competitive review process that compares the performance of each applicant to all others on the basis of four weighted criteria. In descending order of importance these are: degree to which the applicant will contribute resources to the program, historic export performance, projected export goals, and accuracy of past export goals. Each year, proposals for the MAP are developed by trade organizations and private firms and submitted to USDA by an annual deadline announced by USDA and published in the Federal Register. For additional information on the program, call the Marketing Operations Staff at (202) 720-5521. MARKET ACCESS PROGRAM ALLOCATIONS FISCAL YEAR 1997 1997 MAP TRADE ORGANIZATION Allocation Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute $2,965,056 American Brandy Association - Export $36,294 American Forest & Paper Association $6,280,192 American Jojoba Association $176,324 American Seafood Institute/Rhode Island Seafood Council $592,923 American Sheep Industry Association $95,141 American Soybean Association $2,203,929 Asparagus USA $162,938 Blue Diamond Growers $1,412,689 California Agricultural Export Council $525,178 California Cling Peach Growers Advisory Board $727,009 California Kiwifruit Commission $66,095 California Pistachio Commission $815,018 California Prune Board $2,538,590 California Strawberry Commission $471,614 California Table Grape Commission $1,987,929 California Tree Fruit Agreement $704,566 California Walnut Commission $2,566,006 Cherry Marketing Institute $154,361 Chocolate Manufacturers Association $721,310 Cotton Council International $9,261,438 Eastern US Agricultural and Food Export Council $799,696 Florida Department of Citrus $4,247,525 Hop Growers of America $103,000 Kentucky Distillers Association $499,401 Mid-America International Agri-Trade Council $190,833 Mohair Council of America $75,000 National Association of State Departments of Agriculture $564,788 National Dry Bean Council $306,760 National Grape Cooperative $664,261 National Honey Board $132,953 National Peanut Council $837,544 National Potato Research & Promotion Board $1,290,688 National Renderers Association $301,885 National Sunflower Association $821,958 New York Wine and Grape Foundation $165,673 North American Blueberry Council $92,952 North American Export Grain Association $94,225 Northwest Wine Promotion Coalition $119,287 Ocean Spray International, Inc. $319,848 Oregon Seed Council $180,540 Oregon-Washington-California Pear Bureau $974,151 Pet Food Institute $596,075 Raisin Administrative Committee $2,444,619 Southern United States Trade Association $3,097,777 Sunkist Growers, Inc. $2,064,157 Texas Produce Export Association $42,222 The Catfish Institute $304,905 The Popcorn Institute $500,000 United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association $177,093 USA Dry Pea & Lentil Council $550,918 USA Fresh Sweet Cherry Promotion $840,401 USA Poultry and Egg Export Council $2,290,770 USA Rice Federation $2,911,598 USA Tomato $481,772 U.S. Apple Association $438,707 U.S. Dairy Export Council $1,881,135 U.S. Feed Grains Council $2,865,352 U.S. Livestock Genetics Export, Inc. $739,981 U.S. Meat Export Federation $8,498,273 U.S. Wheat Associates $2,023,893 Washington Apple Commission $2,470,410 Western United States Agricultural Trade Association $4,481,370 Wine Institute $3,051,004 TOTAL $90,000,000 # NOTE: USDA news releases and media advisories are available on the Internet. 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