Going together: ATP funds start working for soya and specialty grains

By Eric Wenberg

I have three big developments to write about on the export market promotion front. As previously reported, the Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance (SSGA) signed an agreement to use Agricultural Trade Promotion (ATP) funds with the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC), per request by the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in its award. July 19 was a big day, with a fair and equitable deal made to use USDA’s funds collaboratively with back office support from USSEC. That is a benefit we are pleased with. USSEC has an excellent compliance and regulatory record with USDA that we benefit and learn from. If we use ATP funds poorly, or make a mistake, we have to pay it back. This minimizes our risk and maximizes our learning opportunity. As they say in Africa: If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. I think that’s true in this case.

Secondly, along with the soy industry associations, I met with USDA and FAS officials on July 23 in Washington, D.C. At that meeting  Mark Slupek, FAS Deputy Administrator, Office of Trade Programs, explained that the ATP funds were the first budget increases to the export market development program since 2006, and they had effectively even been cut since then due to budget sequestration. That’s when Congress cuts funds they already authorized. Thus, it’s important for SSGA to document and write about our successes. Rest assured, we will. Soon after, USDA, USSEC, and SSGA agreed on an additional allocation from FAS, increasing our ATP funding from $1.5 million to $2.0 million. We were invited to request additional funding next year based on our use of the funding. SSGA was also invited to join USSEC for $300,000 in additional funding to make joint strategy and activities to open the market in India. I have had several conversations and shared some work with USSEC’s operations professionals. As I’ve stated before, I am excited to work with them.

This all points to having the financing to achieve our aims to be a leading voice in identity-preserved (IP) field crops. We are happy to work through and with the groups making this a priority. At present, we are writing some Requests for Proposal (RFPs) regarding the digital IP marketplace project and working to get those funded for contractors. The action teams are making other plans for our projects abroad.

We will continue to keep our members engaged and updated on the latest SSGA news.