08/23/06 Round two of state marketing grants

Washington Ag August 23, 2006 Agricultural commodity commissions, associations and other public or nonprofit organizations will broaden their marketing promotion efforts and work to reduce trade barriers with more than $213,000 in grants from the Washington State Department of Agriculture. The grants fund 16 projects, which are matched with in-kind contributions. A similar number of organizations received funds in January. Janet Leister, manager of the WSDA's International Marketing program, says trade barrier grants are used to address market access issues. Leister: "So it could be anywhere from a phyto-sanitary issue to tariff issues, even anti-dumping issues. And the market promotion are for international or domestic market promotion. And the domestic can be for the state of Washington or somewhere in the United States or actually even our small farms combining and branding their products in that community." Recipients in this round included the American Dwarf Hop Promotion Association, Skagit Red Potato Growers Association, the Washington State Asparagus and Potato Commissions and the Washington Cattlemen's Association. I'm Bob Hoff.