Foreign Agricultural Service
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FOREIGN AGRICULTURAL SERVICE PURPOSE STATEMENT The Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) is unique within the U.S. Government for its sole focus on global agricultural trade and food security issues. This recognized expertise is trusted by the broader U.S. agricultural community, from farmers and ranchers to food processors, other U.S. government agencies, and non-governmental organizations to provide sound, reliable and consistent intelligence on foreign agricultural markets, crop conditions and agro-political dynamics. The agency’s on the ground global network of agricultural attachés and locally employed staff provide an unparalleled resource for understanding trade policy and market development issues as they arise. Through this talented and highly skilled staff FAS has built long-term, agriculture-specific relationships with foreign stakeholders that are invaluable to building institutional knowledge of host countries’ agricultural sectors. This knowledge is put to work on maintaining a level playing field for U.S. food and agricultural exports abroad and expanding new opportunities in countries with market potential. FAS links U.S. agriculture to the world to enhance export opportunities and global food security. FAS facilitates international trade and trade cooperation, which are critical to the economic vitality of the U.S. agricultural sector and the Administration’s top economic priority: job creation. Increased economic activity in food and agricultural- related sectors of the economy help rural communities build and maintain prosperity. Nowhere is this more evident than in agricultural trade. In fact, our strategic goal is to generate an additional $89 billion worth of U.S. economic activity by expanding export opportunities for U.S. food and agricultural exporters by the end of 2016. This goal is based on a projected increase in agricultural exports to $175 billion by end-year 2016, from the $108.6 billion worth exported in the baseline year of FY 2010. FAS plans to achieve this goal through eight objectives aligned under three core activity pillars: Trade promotion, trade policy, and capacity-building/food security. FAS trade promotion programs and services provide timely and accurate market information to the U.S. agricultural industry; timely and efficient delivery of market development and export credit guarantee loan programs; expanded and enhanced partnerships with Small- and Medium-Sized Exporters (SMEs); and increased public awareness of export opportunities through education and outreach efforts. The overarching benefit of FAS’ trade promotion programs and services is the expansion of foreign demand for U.S. food and agricultural products, which ultimately creates jobs and income for rural America through increased export sales. FAS trade policy work maintains a level playing field for U.S. food and agricultural exporters who compete internationally. By partnering with other government agencies and trade associations, as well as regional and international organizations, FAS coordinates global efforts aimed at trade liberalization by negotiating trade agreements; monitoring trade agreement compliance through formal and informal mechanisms; establishing transparent, science-based standards for U.S. agricultural products; and eliminating trade barriers. FAS trade capacity building and food security programs and services are aimed at expanding new avenues to trade and economic growth by strengthening emerging markets and addressing food security challenges through food assistance and agricultural development programs. FAS leverages its position to partner with other U.S. government agencies, land grant universities, other institutions, as well as the private sector to provide technical assistance and training where needed and urge the adoption of market–based policies in food-insecure nations. FAS’ trade capacity building and food security programs build the foundations for future markets and create long-term international relationships that further advance U.S. agriculture’s trade interests in developing countries. Description of Agency Activities: Trade Promotion A substantial portion of U.S. agricultural cash receipts comes from export sales, making the vitality of rural America dependent on international trade. FAS commodity analysts and country experts in Washington and Foreign Service Officers around the world provide timely analysis of global trends, which enable policy makers and private exporters to respond promptly to changes in the international market. FAS also has a full cadre of foreign field offices staffed by highly trained and knowledgeable Locally Employed Staff who help match foreign buyers to U.S. sellers, advise private exported, and myriad other market promotion activities. FAS’ unique relationship with U.S. producer groups, known as cooperators, allows U.S. agriculture to respond to such changes in the international market place for food and agricultural exports. FAS programs that contribute to food and agricultural exports include: Market Access Program (MAP), Foreign Market Development Program (FMD), Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops Program 33-1 FOREIGN AGRICULTURAL SERVICE (TASC), Emerging Markets Program (EMP), Quality Samples Program (QSP), and Export Credit Guarantee Program (GSM-102). Trade Policy FAS works to maintain and expand access to foreign markets in the face of unfair trade barriers. Removing existing barriers, while ensuring new ones are not introduced, directly helps rural America thrive and also adds jobs and income to allied sectors such as storage, transportation, and insurance. FAS also promotes the acceptance of crops produced using biotechnology and other new technologies and organic standards around the world. The Agency draws on headquarters staff and attachés covering more than 160 countries to negotiate with foreign governments and work with international organizations to develop fair, transparent international standards that will support the use of these technologies. An estimated 60-80 percent of U.S. processed food products contain biotechnological ingredients which could be negatively affected by restrictive labeling measures, testing requirements, and/or outright bans. Exports of these crops and other foods produced or processed using modern biotechnology form the core of U.S. agricultural exports that totaled $140.9 billion in 2013. FAS will continue monitoring and enforcing international Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary (SPS) rules, strengthening the global SPS regulatory framework, and encouraging the adoption of international standards in the trade policy arena. Capacity Building/Food Security FAS is the link that enables the U.S. to share both its food resources and its technical expertise with those in need. FAS has significant experience administering aid, technical assistance, Feed the Future resources, capacity building programs, and exchanges that build in-country productivity. FAS also manages USDA’s component of the Civilian Response Corps and deploys USDA experts abroad to assist in developing competitive food systems in countries which are of high priority for meeting U.S. national security and food security objectives. The programs that support food security include the: McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program, Food for Progress, Borlaug Fellowship Program, Cochran Fellowship Program, Technical Assistance and Capacity- Building, Civilian Response Corps, and agricultural reconstruction and stabilization activities. These capabilities complement U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) capabilities and the overall policy lead of the Department of State (DoS). FAS’ ongoing effort to improve internal operational processes will enable the Agency to continue to conduct in-country trade capacity building, research, and technical training with prospective future trading partner countries. These base resources allow FAS to play the lead role in coordinating the linkage of agricultural expertise to U.S. international development activities, ensuring alignment with U.S. trade and foreign affairs policies, as well as the national security strategy. The Headquarters of FAS is located in Washington, D.C. In addition to a highly specialized Washington-based staff, the agency maintains a targeted and highly efficient network of 96 offices providing coverage in more than 160 countries around the world that serve as first responders in cases of market disruption, provide critical market and policy intelligence to support our strategic goals, and represent U.S. agriculture in consultations with foreign governments. As of September 30, 2013, FAS had 549 in permanent full-time employment, which included 468 in headquarters and 81 in field locations. 33-2 FOREIGN AGRICULTURAL SERVICE LEGISLATIVE AND DEPARTMENTAL AUTHORITIES FAS was established on March 10, 1953, by Secretary's Memorandum No. 1320, Supplement 1. Public Law 83-690, enacted August 28, 1954, transferred the agricultural attachés from the Department of State to FAS. These memoranda were consolidated in Title 5 of the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978, as amended. Secretary's Memorandum No. 1020-39 dated September 30, 1993, transferred the functions of the former Office of International Cooperation and Development to FAS. Title 5 of the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978, most recently amended in 2008, states that the Administrator of FAS is given the power to “exercise such functions and perform such duties related to foreign agriculture,” and may also