The United States Potato Board has been allocated $2.3 million of the 2003 Market Access Program funds of $110 million to help promote potatoes and potato products abroad.
USDA Secretary Ann Veneman announced the package recently, dividing the $110 million to 65 trade organizations.
With 13 percent of the United States potato crop exported, an amount that has increased gradually over the years, the Board will use the 16 percent higher allocation to hopefully open more doors to United States potatoes.
Earlier in July, the USDA announced funding allocations of $1.4 million to 18 organizations under the 2003 Quality Samples Program to help expand export sales by promoting awareness of U.S. agricultural products to new foreign buyers. The Board received $150,000 of those funds.
John Toaspern, USPB vice president of International Marketing said the Board clearly received more than a straight-line share of both funding pools. "This is a reflection of the quality of our programs and the application," he said.
The Board has programs for frozen potatoes (fries and others) and dehydrated potatoes, which are conducted in Japan, China, Mexico, Hong Kong, Taiwan and other SE Asian countries.
The Board's Seed Export Program will be conducted in Honduras, Dominican Republic, Panama, Venezuela, Brazil and Uruguay.