MAP and FMD Get Full Funding

As a result of the passage of the fiscal year 2012 Agriculture Appropriations Bill by the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday, the Market Access Program (MAP) and the Foreign Market Development (FMD) program have cleared the first hurdle and are approved for full funding. Both programs have been authorized at levels recommended in the 2008 Farm Bill. It now moves to the Senate.

Rep. Jeff Flake (Ariz.) introduced an amendment to eliminate funding for MAP. The amendment was defeated 314 to 101.

House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Minority Member Sam Farr (Calif.), House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas (Okla.) and Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee member Sanford Bishop (Ga.) all spoke in favor of MAP and strongly opposed the Flake amendment.

The American Sheep Industry Association utilizes MAP and FMD funding in its wool-promotion programs, which provide international wool-buyer trade missions to the United States to learn about U.S. wool, among other marketing programs.