central - east central Minnesota - | Keep in mind, as posted and discussed before - The FMD (foreign market development program) . . . No farm bill, it expires end of OCT - those countries that used the FMD to purchase our grain, will have to fund it on their own . . . . Farmers loose out. Could be like the grain Embargo of the 70's . . . ..
from - http://cornandsoybeandigest.com/issues/expiration-farm-bill Many farmers, ranchers and agribusiness or agricultural processors benefit from the Foreign Market Development Program (FMD). FMD is a cost-sharing trade promotion partnership between USDA and U.S. agricultural producers and processors. The program pools technical and financial resources to conduct overseas market development. FMD helps maintain and increase market share by addressing long-term foreign market import constraints and by identifying new markets or new uses for the agricultural commodity or product in the foreign market. That funding, as well as specific funding for personnel to run the program at USDA, will run out at the end of October. Since 31% of our gross farm income comes from exports which also make a positive contribution to our Nation’s trade balance, trade promotion is an important part of our safety net. Other countries will most certainly take advantage of the fact that the program is rendered inoperable and will do what they can to steal our markets – and everyone knows, the hardest market to get is the one you lost. |