Now accepting applications, the America First Trade Promotion Program, “we announced a $280 million program that essentially doubles our investment in those trade promotion programs that help sell our products.”
Agriculture Department Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Luke Lindberg says AFTPP serves as a complement to existing export promotion programs.
“Many of our cooperators around the country that represent all of our different commodity groups, those folks get dollars from USDA to market their products overseas, participate in trade missions, and organize their own trade missions.”
Various ag trade organizations, U.S. ag cooperatives, state agencies, and state and regional trade groups are eligible to apply, with the funding application period concluding January 23. More details about the America First Trade Promotion Program are available via Grants.gov.
AFTPP is one component of a three-pronged plan recently announced by Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and the Under Secretary, focused on building U.S. ag trade and export opportunities.
“To focus on how we can win new deals, specifically in markets where the president has negotiated new market access.”
Part two of the three-part plan features what the Under Secretary calls a new model of ag trade mission, a supplement to existing models called Trade Reciprocity for U.S. manufacturers and producers.
“You want to get wins in those markets where the president has unlocked new market access,” with an example being the May Ag Trade Mission to the United Kingdom and its opportunities to expand U.S. ethanol exports to that market.
“We’re actually seeing our ethanol industry fill up that new quota that we have in the UK,” he said.
The third leg of the three-point ag trade plan involves a revitalization of export finance opportunities, such as through the USDA’s GSM-102 credit guarantee program.
“Tweaking and revitalizing it so that it’s really targeted and provides the exact right financing at the exact right moment to help make sure that no foreign buyer doesn’t have what it needs to be able to purchase American commodities.”