Political Quotes

“fifty years ago, President Eisenhower and Secretary of Agriculture Ezra Taft Benson had the foresight to acknowledge that the future of American agriculture was dependent on the development of creative marketing tools and foreign markets for U.S. food and agricultural products. With that in mind, the Foreign Agricultural Service, FAS, was created to represent American agricultural interests worldwide. During the past 50 years, the employees of FAS, working in coordination with partners in the agricultural community and other U.S. international agencies, have crafted important tools and programs to develop and expand foreign markets. Recognizing the ever changing global economy, FAS has effectively developed the necessary resources to negotiate trade agreements, open and maintain foreign markets, and address international food crises and development needs. Today, exports of American food and agricultural products have grown from less than $3 billion in 1953 to over $50 billion, experiencing a trade surplus year after year. The realities of today's global marketplace, as well as the challenges facing American agricultural producers abroad, make the mission and continued success of the Foreign Agriculture Service more important than ever.”