House Approves Full MAP, FMD Funding; Senate Vote Expected Soon
House Approves Full MAP, FMD Funding; Senate Vote Expected Soon
This week the U.S. House of Representatives approved the FY 10 agriculture appropriations bill, fully funding the Market Access Program (MAP) and the Foreign Market Development (FMD) program at the levels authorized in the 2008 Farm Bill (MAP at $200 million and FMD at $34.5 million). While amendments were submitted that would have reduced or eliminated funding for these important programs, the amendments were ruled out of order and never deliberated on the House floor.
The Senate Appropriations Committee has also advanced an agriculture appropriations bill that includes full funding for both the MAP and FMD programs. The committee also approved the following report language offered by Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), expressing the committee’s support for the current structure of MAP:
“The Committee continues the full mandatory funding for the Market Access Program and expects the Department to administer the program as authorized in 7 U.S.C. 5623, without changing the eligibility requirements for participation of cooperative organizations, small businesses, trade associations, and other entities.”
This report language addresses concerns raised by the Office of Management and Budget in the Administration’s FY 10 budget proposal. The full Senate is expected to consider the bill soon – perhaps as early as next week.
To fortify support in Congress, USMEF is part of the Coalition to Promote U.S. Agricultural Exports that has provided legislators with information outlining the benefits to the U.S. economy of agricultural exports. The coalition notes that since MAP’s creation in 1985, U.S. agricultural exports have increased by nearly 300 percent, and today more than 1.2 million Americans have jobs that depend on these exports. MAP funding has facilitated an effective public/private partnership that maximizes the return on investment of federal funds, and a study commissioned by USDA prior to the 2008 Farm Bill debate showed that farm net cash income increased considerably as a result of market development activities.
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The U.S. Meat Export Federation (www.USMEF.org) is the trade association responsible for developing international markets for the U.S. red meat industry and is funded by USDA, exporting companies, and the beef, pork, corn and soybean checkoff programs.
For more information, contact Jim Herlihy at jherlihy@usmef.org.
House Approves Full MAP, FMD Funding; Senate Vote Expected Soon
This week the U.S. House of Representatives approved the FY 10 agriculture appropriations bill, fully funding the Market Access Program (MAP) and the Foreign Market Development (FMD) program at the levels authorized in the 2008 Farm Bill (MAP at $200 million and FMD at $34.5 million). While amendments were submitted that would have reduced or eliminated funding for these important programs, the amendments were ruled out of order and never deliberated on the House floor.
The Senate Appropriations Committee has also advanced an agriculture appropriations bill that includes full funding for both the MAP and FMD programs. The committee also approved the following report language offered by Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), expressing the committee’s support for the current structure of MAP:
“The Committee continues the full mandatory funding for the Market Access Program and expects the Department to administer the program as authorized in 7 U.S.C. 5623, without changing the eligibility requirements for participation of cooperative organizations, small businesses, trade associations, and other entities.”
This report language addresses concerns raised by the Office of Management and Budget in the Administration’s FY 10 budget proposal. The full Senate is expected to consider the bill soon – perhaps as early as next week.
To fortify support in Congress, USMEF is part of the Coalition to Promote U.S. Agricultural Exports that has provided legislators with information outlining the benefits to the U.S. economy of agricultural exports. The coalition notes that since MAP’s creation in 1985, U.S. agricultural exports have increased by nearly 300 percent, and today more than 1.2 million Americans have jobs that depend on these exports. MAP funding has facilitated an effective public/private partnership that maximizes the return on investment of federal funds, and a study commissioned by USDA prior to the 2008 Farm Bill debate showed that farm net cash income increased considerably as a result of market development activities.
# # #
The U.S. Meat Export Federation (www.USMEF.org) is the trade association responsible for developing international markets for the U.S. red meat industry and is funded by USDA, exporting companies, and the beef, pork, corn and soybean checkoff programs.
For more information, contact Jim Herlihy at jherlihy@usmef.org.