The latest round of support from the Agricultural Trade Promotion Program (ATP) has provided California-based agricultural groups with more than $31 million in ATP payments. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue recently announced that USDA would be providing an additional $100 million to 48 organizations to help mitigate some of the damage caused by the current trade environment.
California’s nut industry will be receiving over $7.5 million worth of support to identify and access new export markets, through awards to the Almond Board of California, Blue Diamond Growers, the California Walnut Commission, and American Pistachio Growers. Almonds, pistachios, and walnuts all ranked in the top five for overall export value according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Agricultural Statistical Overview 2017-2018.
Several other major California crops will be receiving assistance through the latest round of funding, including grapes, strawberries, and cherries. The California Prune Board, the California Table Grape Commission, and the California Olive Committee have all been awarded varying levels of funding support. The California Fresh Fruit Association, the California Agricultural Export Council, and Cal-Pure Produce Inc. will also collectively be receiving nearly $1.5 million in funding support through the ATP. Several groups that received ATP funds during the first round of payments back in January did not receive a second award, including Sunkist Growers, the California Pear Advisory Board, and the National Watermelon Promotion Board.
California farmers and ranchers will also be positively impacted through funding awards to national agencies representing several different commodities. The U.S. Dairy Export Council is receiving an additional $2.5 million in the latest round of ATP payments, with dairy and dairy products being the second-most valuable export for California in 2017. Number nine in export value for California, the rice industry will benefit from more than $2.7 million being awarded to USA Rice Federation/US Rice Producers Association. Other national groups and associations that will assist California farmers and ranchers include the National Potato Promotion Board, the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, the USA Poultry and Egg Export Council, and the Organic Trade Association.
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