Promotional support in overseas markets makes a huge difference
Nov 29, 2022
WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Agriculture/Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA/FAS) recently announced the 2023 Market Access Program (MAP) and Foreign Market Development (FMD) allocations with USA Rice receiving more than $5.6 million, a 1 percent increase from last year.
USA Rice utilizes a combination of state checkoff funds, industry dues, and federal funds to conduct marketing activities aimed at increasing the volume and value of all types and forms of U.S. rice exports in nearly two dozen overseas markets.
“With our smaller crop this year it’s even more important that we provide promotional support to U.S. brands and importers in overseas markets to prevent market share loss to other rice exporters,” said USA Rice President & CEO Betsy Ward. “Given the myriad challenges the rice industry is facing, this funding couldn’t come at a better time.”
USA Rice also received an additional $85,000 on behalf of the U.S. wild rice associations, the California Wild Rice Advisory Board and the Minnesota Cultivated Wild Rice Council, to develop promotional activities for those products as well.
“The public private partnership that we have with USDA/FAS is one of the best examples of long-term collaboration aimed at improving the bottom line for our industry,” said Steve Vargas, senior vice president of global rice trading for Sun Valley Rice and chair of the USA Rice International Promotion Committee. “The overall increase in funding is a testament to the great work USA Rice does promoting U.S. rice in markets around the world.”