Under the Foreign Market Development (FMD) Cooperator Program, FAS enters into project agreements with eligible nonprofit U.S. agricultural trade organizations to share the costs of certain overseas marketing and promotion activities that are intended to create, expand, or maintain foreign markets for U.S. agricultural commodities and products. FAS does not provide brand promotion assistance to Cooperators under this program.

To participate in the cooperator program, an entity must be a non-profit U.S. agricultural trade organization and contribute at least 50 percent of the value of resources provided by FAS for activities conducted under the project agreement.

Under the Market Access Program (MAP), the (Commodity Credit Corporation enters into agreements with nonprofit trade organizations to share the costs of certain overseas marketing and promotion activities that are intended to develop, maintain or expand commercial export market for U.S. agricultural commodities and products. MAP participants may receive assistance for either generic or brand promotion activities.

To participate in the MAP, an entity shall be 1) a nonprofit U.S. agricultural trade organization; 2) a nonprofit state regional trade group; 3) a U.S. agricultural cooperative; or 4) a state agency.

The participant must contribute 1) in the case of Generic promotion, at least 10 percent of the value of resources provided by CCC for such generic promotion; or 2) in the case of Brand promotion, at least 50 percent of the total cost of such brand promotions.

More information about the Foreign Market Development Cooperator Program and the Market Access Program (MAP) can be found on the FAS Marketing Operations Web site at http://www.fas.usda.gov/mos.

The FAS Office of Trade Programs also manages the Emerging Markets Program, Quality Samples Program and Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops Program. For more information on these programs visit http://www.fas.usda.gov/mos.

Comments? Questions?
Contact the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service | Phone: (202) 690-3576 |