Contact: Amanda J. Spoo, Assistant Director of Communications, U.S. Wheat Associates
ajae.spoo@uswheat.org, (571) 384-2847
Caitlin Eanello, Director of Communications, National Association of Wheat Growers
ceanello@wheatworld.org, (202) 547-7800
ARLINGTON, Virginia — U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) and the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) are pleased that U.S. wheat growers now have the opportunity to increase efforts to expand export market access with USDA’s Jan. 31 announcementawarding $200 million to 57 organizations through the Agriculture Trade Promotion Program (ATP). USW was awarded $8.25 million, which will be distributed over the next three years.
Administered by USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), the ATP is one of three USDA programs within the Trump Administration’s trade mitigation package—created to ease the effects of recent trade retaliation against U.S. farmers and exporters. The funds will support export market development programs led by U.S. trade associations, cooperatives and other industry-affiliated organizations.
“U.S. wheat growers are facing tough times right now with the impact of retaliatory tariffs putting a strain on the export market and threatening many decades worth of market development,” said Chris Kolstad, USW Chairman and a wheat grower from Ledger, Mont. “We appreciate the recognition that farmers need help to manage this additional risk. This program is a positive step forward and our people are ready to get to work.”
“With the United States exporting half of the wheat crop it grows, programs like the Agricultural Trade Promotion Program (ATP) are crucial for our farmers to remain competitive in the global market,” stated NAWG President and Sentinel, OK wheat farmer Jimmie Musick. “We welcome today’s news that our sister organization U.S. Wheat Associates was awarded significant funding for trade mitigation activities. This funding will provide some relief to the adverse impact wheat has felt since U.S. placed tariffs on Chinese goods, opening the door for retaliation. We hope to see these affected markets opened again quickly.”
U.S. wheat growers have a long history of recognizing the value of export market development by supporting the successful public-private partnership between USW’s state wheat commission members and FAS. Each year, growers contribute a portion of their wheat sales which qualifies USW to apply for matching funds through FAS programs like the Market Access Program (MAP) and the Foreign Market Development (FMD) program.
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