Tony Thurmond: “the mission of the Foreign Agricultural Service, in conjunction with the Commodity Credit Corporation, is to open…”

“the mission of the Foreign Agricultural Service, in conjunction with the Commodity Credit Corporation, is to open, expand and maintain global market opportunities for agricultural commodities. One program in place to accomplish this mission is the Market Access Program. This program, funded at $90 million per year, is a cost-share program to help U.S. companies expand their sales in the international marketplace. I recognize that export promotion is a vital tool in our Nation's effort to expand trade. Since its inception in 1986, the Market Access Program has helped many companies, trade organizations, state and regional trade groups, and agriculture cooperatives to build new markets overseas. There is, however, one aspect of the market access program, which gives me great concern. In late June, Secretary Glickman announced the 1999 allocations of the $90 million authorized, to 65 U.S. trade organizations for export promotion activities. Included in that allocation is over $3.6 million for the promotion of alcoholic beverages. Even if one accepts the notion that alcoholic beverages are 'agricultural commodities,' there is still difficulty in justifying the Federal Government's promotion of such products. I do not believe the United States Government should be funding the marketing of alcoholic beverages, within the United States or in export markets.”