Export Powerhouse Pt 2
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson. Trade and U.S. agriculture go hand in hand, and without trade, agriculture won’t survive on many levels.
Daniel Whitley, administrator of the Foreign Agricultural Service, says American agriculture is the unequivocal lead in science, technology, and innovation …
WHITLEY … “And we are showing the path of what production agriculture looks like now and tomorrow. We're hoping that many of our trading partners and our competitors feel the same way and have the same passion for science, technology, and innovation.”
One of the biggest goals at FAS is opening up new market opportunities rather than relying on just a few regular customers, and Whitley says they’ve got a few new tools to do that …
WHITLEY … “The Regional Ag Promotion Program, RAPP, which is a market development program like our existing MAP program and FMD programs, and, hopefully, our producers get a chance to take advantage of this $1.3 billion made available by the secretary's office and Congress to help grow exports and diversify our presence.”
Six percent of our exports, Whitley says go to China, Mexico, Canada, and Europe …
WHITLEY … “This program helps America's farmers and ranchers look at the rest of the world, other than those four markets, with a lot of emphasis on Africa, a lot on Southeast Asia, and, of course, a lot on Latin America.”
Again, that’s FAS Administrator Daniel Whitley.
