NMPF Advocacy Helps Boost Market Development Funding
November 7, 2023
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Oct. 23 it will direct $1.3 billion from the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) to establish a Regional Trade Promotion Program, and another $1 billion to commodity-based international food aid, after significant lobbying from NMPF and encouragement from the U.S. Dairy Export Council.
The funding announcement was prompted by a Sept. 6 letter from Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow, D-MI, and Ranking Member John Boozman, R-AR, calling on the agency to expand CCC authority to fund export promotion and food aid initiatives. NMPF has long advocated for Congress to double funding for the Market Access Program and Foreign Market Development program, which significantly advance U.S. dairy’s reach overseas but have not received a funding boost in more 16 years. This U.S. investment will help bridge the gap in export promotion funding that U.S. agriculture receives in comparison to foreign competitors.
