ARLINGTON, VA. and WASHINGTON — The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) announced on Jan. 10 that it will receive $170,000 in federal funding for fiscal 2024 through the US Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service’s (USDA FAS) Market Access Program (MAP).
With additional roll-over funding, AFIA’s 2024 MAP funding stands at nearly $200,000, providing the animal food industry more opportunities to broaden market access and support the export of US animal food products to Vietnam and China
“We express appreciation to the USDA for acknowledging AFIA as the foremost authority in the animal feed, feed ingredient and pet food trade,” said Constance Cullman, president and chief executive officer of the AFIA. “The US animal food industry has the potential to sustainably enhance the efficiency and quality of global animal nutrition practices and pet food diets. However, existing foreign regulatory and policy constraints hinder fair competition for these products in foreign markets. We appreciate the opportunity to continue collaborating with the USDA to overcome these trade barriers and promote our products.”
With the recently secured MAP funding, the AFIA is positioned to continue its work on expanding the US animal food industry’s $7.5 billion worth of exports. The work entails conveying to Vietnamese and Chinese stakeholders the benefits — such as utility, safety and quality — that US animal food products bring to farmers in terms of improved animal production and health. It also includes providing pet owners with information about the importance of complete-and-balanced pet diets to help their pets live longer, healthier lives.
Operating under the MAP framework, the FAS partners with trade associations, including the AFIA, and other collaborators to jointly fund the promotion of US agricultural products and commodities internationally.
Additionally, on Jan. 11, the Pet Food Institute (PFI) revealed its MAP funding for 2024. The institute was awarded more than $1.3 million, which will be used to promote the benefits of US-made pet food to consumers in 10 specific markets: Brazil, the Caribbean, Central America, China, Colombia, Mexico, the Middle East, the Philippines, South Korea and Taiwan.
According to PFI, research has shown that for each dollar invested in an export market through MAP, US agricultural exports have increased by more than $24.
“The allocation of these funds to PFI is not just a win for the pet food industry, it is a win for the US agricultural industry,” said Nat Davies, vice president of business operations and programs at the PFI. “Pet food makers use at least 8 million tons of plant- and animal-based agricultural ingredients annually, investing $6.9 billion into the economy to manufacture pet food. This provides an economic boost to rural communities and helps strengthen the US economy.”
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