The Washington Apple Commission will be receiving $8,457,600 through the USDA Agricultural Trade Promotion (ATP) Program funding. The ATP program, funded at $200 million, will develop and grow export markets to mitigate adverse effects of trade conflicts with foreign countries.
“We appreciate the USDA’s support of the apple industry and their understanding of the challenges we are facing due to retaliatory tariffs in our export markets. This funding will be key to building markets and reducing the impact on Washington apple producers,” says, Washington Apple Commission President Todd Fryhover. “We are thankful for the work and diligence from the USDA Foreign Agriculture Service in assessing and determining funding.”
The ATP funds allocated by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service to various agriculture commodity groups will be used to increase promotional efforts and alleviate the impact of additional costs and challenges in export markets during trade disruptions.
Washington state exports one-third of its fresh apple crop and 90% of U.S. apple exports originate from Washington. 40% of the state’s apple exports are shipped to Mexico and China, where they face retaliatory tariffs of 20% and 40% respectively. India is another top market that is currently threatening a 25% tariff on U.S. apples.
The Washington Apple Commission is a promotional organization dedicated to serving the Washington apple industry by increasing consumer demand through innovative marketing and promotions in international markets.
$200 million goes to 57 organizations
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded $200 million to 57 organizations through the Agricultural Trade Promotion Program (ATP) to help U.S. farmers and ranchers identify and access new export markets. The ATP is one of three USDA programs created to mitigate the effects of unjustified trade retaliation against U.S. farmers and exporters. USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) accepted ATP applications between September 4 and November 2 – totaling nearly $600 million – from U.S. trade associations, cooperatives, and other industry-affiliated organizations. USDA has released a list of the ATP funding recipients.
For more information:
Toni Lynn Adams
Washington Apple Commission
Tel: +1 (509) 303-8085
Email: tonilynn.adams@waapple.org