WASHINGTON, Nov. 17, 2015 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) has awarded fiscal year 2016 funding to more than 60 U.S. agricultural organizations to help expand commercial export markets for U.S. goods.

The Market Access Program (MAP) focuses on consumer promotion, including brand promotion for small companies and cooperatives, and is used extensively by organizations promoting fruits, vegetables, nuts, processed products, and bulk and intermediate commodities. The Foreign Market Development (FMD) Program focuses on trade servicing and trade capacity building by helping to create, expand and maintain long-term export markets for U.S. agricultural products.

"USDA continues to expand markets for American goods abroad, work aggressively to break down barriers to trade, and assist U.S. businesses with the resources needed to reach consumers around the world," said Vilsack. "Together market access and market development activities can help agricultural organizations representing thousands of producers and businesses open and grow markets for American products around the world."

Under the MAP, FAS will provide $172.8 million for fiscal year 2016 to 62 nonprofit organizations and cooperatives. These organizations use the funds to help U.S. producers with activities to promote their products around the globe. Activities can include market research, technical assistance, and support for participation in trade fairs and exhibits. MAP participants contribute an average 137 percent match for generic marketing and promotion activities and a dollar-for-dollar match for promotion of branded products by small businesses and cooperatives.

Under the FMD, FAS will allocate $27.5 million for fiscal year 2016 to 23 trade organizations that represent U.S. agricultural producers. The program focuses on generic promotion of U.S. commodities, rather than consumer-oriented promotion of branded products. Preference is given to organizations that represent an entire industry or are nationwide in membership and scope. The organizations, which contribute an average 184 percent cost share, will conduct activities that help maintain or increase demand for U.S. agricultural commodities overseas.

USDA's international market development programs have had a significant and positive impact on U.S. agricultural exports. An independent study released in 2010 found that trade promotion programs like MAP and FMD provide $35 in economic benefits for every one dollar spent by government and industry on market development.

The past seven years have represented the strongest period for American agricultural exports in the history of our country. In fiscal year 2015, American farmers and ranchers exported $139.7 billion of food and agricultural goods to consumers worldwide - the third highest level ever. U.S. agricultural exports supported nearly 1 million American jobs both on and off the farm, a substantial part of the nearly 11.3 million jobs supported by exports all across the country.

USDA has published the list of organizations that will receive fiscal year 2016 MAP awards and FMD awards. To learn more about MAP, FMD and other FAS programs, visit www.fas.usda.gov.

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Iowa Biodiesel Board members ask Congress to extend incentive for two years

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Members of the Iowa Biodiesel Board are in Washington, D.C. today to urge Iowa's Congressional delegation to extend the incentive for biodiesel for two years, through 2016. They are also asking for a restructuring of the $1-per-gallon credit for biodiesel and renewable diesel.

Grant Kimberley, executive director of the Iowa Biodiesel Board, issued the following statement:

"Nowhere is the success of the tax credit more evident than in Iowa. Our state's 13 plants produced more than a quarter of a billion gallons of biodiesel last year, supporting jobs and economic development while replacing foreign oil and diversifying our fuel supply. The federal tax incentive has played a key role in enabling those plants to stay operating and profitable, benefiting all levels of our economy.

"Yet Congress has put our state's biodiesel producers in the unusual position of becoming high-stakes gamblers with their business decisions for the last several years. Congress has allowed the tax incentive to lapse four times in the past six years, including this year. Even though they have reinstated it retroactively each time, this unpredictable approach is no way for an industry to run.

"In addition to extending the current $1 per gallon tax credit for biodiesel for 2015 and through 2016, our industry leaders are asking Congress to restructure the incentive from a blender's credit to a producer's credit. This is critical because the current structure allows foreign biodiesel producers to take advantage of the credit if their fuel is blended in the U.S.

"It's just rational that we use our taxpayer money to stimulate domestic energy growth, like the impressive renewable energy industry Iowa has built, rather than subsidizing foreign producers with our tax dollars. That obviously wasn't the intent of Congress. Once again, we are grateful to Sen. Chuck Grassley for his leadership on this important energy issue."

Sen. Grassley, R-Iowa, has sponsored a bill that would correct the loophole in the existing program. According to the Joint Committee on Taxation, this reform would save U.S. taxpayers $90 million.

The farmers and producers have scheduled meetings with the entire Iowa delegation - Sen. Grassley (R), Sen. Joni Ernst (R), Rep. Rod Blum (R), Rep. David Young (R), Rep. Dave Loebsack (D), and Rep. Steve King (R).

Biodiesel - made from a variety of resources including soybean oil, recycled cooking oil and animal fats - is the first EPA-designated Advanced Biofuel to reach commercial-scale production nationwide.

The Iowa Biodiesel Board is a state trade association representing the biodiesel industry.

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November 10, 2015 in female farmer project

It's a chilly October morning, I arrive just before her at The People's Garden and take the opportunity to enjoy the bees and many birds that are flitting around. Even though a few of the beds are being prepped for winter, there were peppers still on the bushes, vibrant chard, and beets in the ground. I was unaware this small, organic urban farm existed right here off the National Mall, open to all visitors, year 'round.

The People's Garden is on the grounds of the USDA building in Washington D.C. - it features a sampling of the agricultural commodities and tree samplings grown here in the United States. There is also a Three Sisters Garden featuring Native American heritage corn, beans and squash, rain gardens, an apiary, and a weekly farmers market.

I was surprised by her arrival - she found me crouched between the beds, entranced by the gorgeous vegetables and flowers in the shadow of our nation's capital building; "Hi, I'm Krysta" she said smiling as I stood to meet her.

'Krysta' is Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden, of the United States Department of Agriculture. We have a POTUS, a FLOTUS and SCOTUS so in my mind, she's the FFOTUS; Female Farmer of the United States. She's a self-described daughter of peanut farmers and rightly proud of her heritage. Hailing from a multi-generational farming family, her parents still farm the mid-sized peanut, corn, cotton and vegetable farm in Georgia where she was raised.

The US Senate unanimously confirmed Deputy Secretary Harden in August of 2013. In the short two years since then, she's championed many causes from the Farm Bill to cultivating the next generation of farmers, but one that has a special interest to us both, and is what brought us together that morning -- Women in Agriculture.

As we wandered around the garden beds, sharing recipe ideas and enjoying the scents of fresh dirt as we unearthed a few carrots and beets, we talked of challenges in the public perception of agriculture and how she sees her role in helping to create access for female farmers.

You have implemented a lot of programs including the 2008 Farm Bill, the Hunger-Free Kids Act and the recent collaboration with NASA. What programs are you working on now that will affect women in agriculture?

At the end of October, I spoke at the National FFA convention and announced the launch of a new website to help farmers and ranchers get started, www.usda.gov/newfarmers. This site includes a discovery tool, specifically tailored to the needs of new farmers.

It also includes a whole section on women in agriculture in which you can find leadership opportunities and other resources. I started the Women in Agriculture Mentoring Network last February to help women help each other. It is through this forum that women can get advice and communicate with one another in order to continue to grow. If anyone is interested in joining the network, they can e-mail agwomenlead@usda.gov

"Managing Soybean Sudden Death Syndrome and Northern Corn Leaf Blight in 2016," by Daren Mueller, Iowa State University Extension Plant Pathologist, is one of the presentations featured at the November 24 Agricultural Chemical Dealer Update in Iowa City, beginning at 9:00 a.m.  Other topics include herbicide resistance, corn rootworm management, and new sprayer technology.  While the target audience is individuals who provide advice to farmers, it is open to the public.

Continuing Education Units will be available for Certified Crop Advisors and 2015 Continuing Instruction Course credit will be available to agricultural Commercial Pesticide Applicators.

Contact your local Iowa State University County Extension for more information.

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