Ag News
USDA awards ag trade promotion funding to offset tariffs
Posted on Jul 24, 2019 at 0:00 AM
On July 19 the USDA awarded a total of $100 million to 48 organizations through the Agricultural Trade Promotion Program (ATP) to help U.S. farmers and ranchers identify and access new export markets.
In May, President Donald Trump authorized USDA to provide up to $16 billion in programs to support farmers, which is in line with the estimated impacts of retaliatory tariffs on U.S. agricultural goods and other trade disruptions. ATP is one of three programs that will assist agricultural producers while trade agreements are negotiated with China and other nations.
The 48 recipients are among the cooperator organizations that applied for $200 million in ATP funds in 2018 that were awarded earlier this year. As part of a new round of support for farmers impacted by unjustified retaliation and trade disruption, those groups had the opportunity to be considered for additional support for their work to boost exports for U.S. agriculture, food, fish, and forestry products.
At least 10 of the 48 organizations awarded money in the latest round of ATP funding should help increase foreign markets for commodities produced in Georgia.
Those organizations and the funding amounts each received include: American Peanut Council, $1.5 million; American Soybean Association, $12.75 million; Cotton Council International, $6.25 million; U.S. Dairy Export Council, $2.5 million; U.S. Grains Council, $6.88 million; U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council, $350,000; U.S. Meat Export Federation, $10 million; USA Poultry & Egg Export Council, $800,000; U.S. Wheat Associates, $2.6 million; & a group of four timber organizations including the Southern Forest Products Association, $87,835.
The full list of ATP funding recipients is available at: https://www.fas.usda.gov/atp-funding-allocations.
On July 23, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said farmers who have suffered financial losses because of the ongoing trade dispute with China would receive a minimum of $15 per acre, according to published reports. Perdue said details would be released by the end of the week.
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