We need your help encouraging lawmakers to support the Expanding Agriculture Exports Act and Agriculture Export Promotion Act. If enacted, this legislation would double funding for these agricultural export market development programs administered by USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), including the Market Access Program (MAP) and the Foreign Market Development Program (FMD), which help US Wheat Associates market to overseas customers. MAP’s authorized funding has not changed since 2006 and FMD funding has remained the same since 2002, so inflation and sequestration have significantly eroded the ability to compete with other countries who are steadily investing more in their agricultural export promotion efforts. With nearly 80% of Colorado’s wheat crop being exported, the bolstering of these programs is vital to our growers. CAWG, in cooperation with NAWG, has launched this grassroots effort, which allows you to make your voice heard.
Click here, scroll to the middle of the page, and follow the instructions to send a message to your Members of Congress. This process should be simple and take no more than 5 minutes to complete. Now is a critical time to increase the funding for MAP and FMD programs so that our wheat can stay competitive globally!