CCC Announces Funding Available for Agriculture Emerging Markets Program
The Commodity Credit Corporation announced it's accepting proposals by May 21, 2012, for its 2013 Emerging Markets Program (EMP), which assists U.S. entities in developing, maintaining, or expanding exports of U.S. agricultural commodities and products by funding activities that improve emerging markets’ food and rural business systems, including reducing potential trade barriers in such markets. The EMP is intended primarily to support export market development efforts of the private sector, but EMP resources may also be used to assist public organizations.
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All U.S. agricultural commodities, except tobacco, are eligible for consideration. Agricultural product(s) should be comprised of at least 50 percent U.S. origin content by weight to be eligible for funding.
Funding Given to Evaluate Food Systems, Transfer Expertise, Etc.
All EMP projects must fall into at least one of the following four categories: (1) assistance to teams consisting primarily of U.S. individuals expert in assessing the food and rural business systems of other countries; (2) assistance to enable individuals from emerging markets to travel to the U.S. to become familiar with U.S. technology and agribusiness and rural enterprise operations; (3) assistance to enable U.S. agricultural producers and other individuals knowledgeable in agricultural and agribusiness matters to travel to emerging markets to assist in transferring their knowledge and expertise to entities in emerging markets; and (4) technical assistance to implement the recommendations, projects, and/or opportunities developed after assessments of food and rural business systems of other countries.
All Entities Eligible; Funding may not be Used for Private Profit
Eligible entities include any U.S. private or government entity (e.g., universities, non-profit trade associations, agricultural cooperatives, state regional trade groups (SRTGs), state departments of agriculture, federal agencies, profit-making entities, and consulting businesses) with a demonstrated role or interest in exports of U.S. agricultural commodities or products may apply to the program. Proposals from research and consulting organizations will be considered if they provide evidence of substantial participation by and financial support from the U.S. industry. For-profit entities are also eligible but may not use program funds to conduct private business, promote private self-interests, supplement the costs of normal sales activities or promote their own products or services beyond specific uses approved by CCC in a given project.