Skip to main content
 
  • Click to open or close the program search boxShow Me Programs
    • Show me the programs that are
      performing Go
    • Show me the programs that are
      not performing Go
ExpectMore.govExpectMore.gov home pageEXPECT FEDERAL PROGRAMS TO PERFORM WELL, AND BETTER EVERY YEAR.
 
Program Assessment

Program

View Assessment Details

USDA Foreign Market Development Programs

The purpose of these programs is to expand markets for U.S. agricultural commodities. Government funds provided through the Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service are used to help producers, exporters, private companies, and other trade organizations promote U.S. agricultural commodities overseas.

Rating

What This Rating Means

PERFORMING
Moderately Effective

In general, a program rated Moderately Effective has set ambitious goals and is well-managed. Moderately Effective programs likely need to improve their efficiency or address other problems in the programs' design or management in order to achieve better results.
  • The program does not necessarily serve a clear need. Many of the non-profit trade groups receiving market development funds are partly supported by large corporations that can afford to support their own export promotion efforts.
  • Unique impact of program is unclear. There is no way to know whether the activities funded by these programs would occur without government funding.
  • Some of the market development programs help reduce trade barriers that have been erected against US agricultural exports. For example, the Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops program helped re-open Taiwan's market to U.S. apples ($47 million annually).

Improvement Plan

About Improvement Plans

We are taking the following actions to improve the performance of the program:

  • Including the performance measures in the Foreign Agriculture Service's strategic plan.
  • Reallocating program funding to target the funds to those that would benefit the most.

Learn More
The content on ExpectMore.gov is developed by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget and Federal agencies.