Jun 27, 2024Tree fruit, berries, grapes receive USDA market promotion funds
Apples, cherries, pears, cranberries, table grapes and watermelons are among the commodities receiving federal funds for promotion and market development funding.
The funding is part of $300 million allocated to 66 U.S. organizations under the USDA’s new Regional Agricultural Promotion Program (RAPP), designed to build demand for American food and farm exports in high-potential markets worldwide.
Fruit concerns include:
- Washington Apple Commission, $7 million
- Pear Bureau Northwest, $4 million
- California Cherry Marketing and Research Board, $750,000
- Cherry Marketing Institute, $450,000
- U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council, $1.3 million,
- Cranberry Institute, $1 million
- California Table Grape Commission, $3.3 million
- California Prune Board, $4.2 million
- California Fresh Fruit Association, $1 million
- California Agricultural Export Council, $1 million
- Washington State Fruit Commission, $900,000
- New York Wine and Grape Foundation, $1.3 million,
- Northwest Wine Promotion Coalition, $2.4 million
- Organic Trade Association, $2.5 million
The full list of recipients is here.
Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack authorized $1.2 billion in Commodity Credit Corp. funding in launching RAPP to help U.S. exporters expand their customer base beyond established markets, focusing on regions including Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean and Southeast Asia.