Please Note: To be considered
for the Madigan Award, a private sector entity
must do one of the following:
- apply to become a member of the Board of
Evaluators (see
link to the application, below) or
- be nominated for it by the governor of a
state.
Application
for membership on the Board of Evaluators
(.pdf)
Form AD
755: Advisory Committee Membership Background Information
(required)
Form SF-181:
Ethnicity and Race Identification (optional)
Establishment
The Edward R. Madigan United States Agricultural
Export was established by Congress in the Federal Improvement and Reform (FAIR) Act of
1996. The award commemorates Edward R. Madigan who, as a congressman from Illinois and
later as Secretary of Agriculture, played a major role in reshaping U.S. agricultural
policy to enable farmers and ranchers to respond more effectively to market signals and
pursue export opportunities.
Purpose
The Madigan Award is designed to help increase U.S. agricultural exports by:
- identifying efforts of U.S. entities to develop and expand markets through new products
and services and innovative marketing techniques;
- recognizing achievements of those who have demonstrated or supported entrepreneurial
efforts to expand and create new markets for, or increase the value or volume of,
agricultural exports; and
- disseminating information on successful methods for developing and expanding markets for
U.S. agricultural exports.
Categories
Entities may apply or be nominated for the Madigan Award in one of three categories:
- Development of new products or services for agricultural export markets;
- Development of new agricultural export markets; or
- Creative marketing of products or services in these markets
Qualification Criteria
To qualify for the Madigan Award, an entity must have:
- exhibited significant entrepreneurial effort to create new markets for, or to increase
exports of, U.S. agricultural products; or
- provided significant assistance to others in creating new markets for, or increasing
exports of, U.S. agricultural products.
In addition, entities must:
- not have received another award in the same category for 5 years; and
- meet other requirements that the Secretary of Agriculture deems appropriate.
Application Procedures
To be considered for the Madigan Award, an entity must apply to the board in writing or
be nominated for it by the governor of a State.
Application
Address
All applications and nominations should be sent to: Coordinator, Edward R.
Madigan United States Agricultural Export Excellence Award, U.S. Department
of Agriculture, Foreign Agricultural Service, Office of Trade Programs, STOP
1020, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20250-1020.
Awards for Entrepreneurial Effort
Applications and nominations of entities that have exhibited significant
entrepreneurial effort to create new markets for, or to increase exports of, U.S.
agricultural products can include one or more of the following:
- statistical evidence of a substantial increase (by value or volume) in exports over the
past 3 years
- information showing that exports constitute a significant share of the entity's total
product sales or significantly exceed the industry average
- opening of a market previously closed to U.S. companies
- expansion of a market previously limited by difficult competitive conditions
- introduction of a new product or service to U.S. agricultural export trade
- key exporting difficulties that have been overcome
- details on foreign competition
- information about the entity's product(s) or service(s)
- the entity's market research and strategic planning
- the entity's international marketing program
- opening or expansion of a sales office to serve a foreign market
- information on organizations (financial institutions, freight forwarders, etc.) used in
the entity's export operations
- a description of the development or expansion of the entity's distributor network and/or
joint ventures
- participation in trade missions and shows.
Awards for Assistance in Entrepreneurial Effort
Applications and nominations of entities that have provided significant assistance to
others in creating new markets for, or increasing exports of, U.S. agricultural products
can include one or more of the following:
- a detailed description of service(s) provided to exporters
- information on innovative solutions to trade problems
- a description of promotional program(s)
- statistical evidence of the effectiveness of the service(s) or program(s).
Eligibility
The eligibility of an entity to receive the Madigan Award will be based on a background
check to disclose such factors as that entity=s
financial status, debarment or suspension from Government programs, and violations of
Federal law as and regulations.
Board of Evaluators
The Secretary of Agriculture appoints a board of at least five individuals from the
private sector, chosen for their knowledge and experience in exporting U.S. agricultural
products, to evaluation applications and nominations for the Madigan Award.
The board meets at least once a year to evaluate all applications and nominations from
the States. The board reports its recommendations for award recipients to the Secretary of
Agriculture.
The members of the Board serve at the discretion of the Secretary of
Agriculture and at their own expense; they are not compensated for their
services and do not receive per diem or travel funds.
Recipient Selection
On the basis of recommendations received from the board of evaluators, the President of
the United States or the Secretary of Agriculture presents the award to entities that
significantly contribute to the advancement of U.S. agricultural exports.
Frequency
The Madigan Award is presented to up to 12 recipients a year.
Publicity
Entities may publicize their receipt of the Madigan Award in advertisements and other
materials.
Recipient Obligations
To help fulfill the purpose of the Madigan Award, recipients are expected to provide
general information on export techniques they have found successful to interested parties.
Confidentiality
The U.S. Department of Agriculture will preserve the confidentiality of information
about entities that falls under the categories of trade secrets, proprietary information,
and privileged commercial or financial material.
For More Information
Contact Coordinator, Edward R. Madigan United States Agricultural
Export Excellence Award, Foreign Agricultural Service, Office of Trade
Programs, (202) 690-0752; E-mail:
Dale.Miller@fas.usda.gov.