Vienna, Va. – The U.S. apple industry’s 2002 crop export promotion efforts will welcome nearly $3 million in additional support, compliments of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Market Access Program (MAP).

Agricultural Secretary Ann M. Veneman June 26 announced 2002 MAP allocations of $90 million to 67 agricultural trade organizations for export promotion activities in international markets.

The apple industry operates two export promotion programs, which combined received nearly $3 million to bolster apple export initiatives. The U.S. Apple Association’s (USApple) U.S. Apple Export Council (USAEC) was allocated $395,770, and the Washington Apple Commission was awarded $2,452,067.

“Every member of our industry benefits from the Market Access Program and the export sales its funding promotes,” said USApple Vice President James (Jim) R. Cranney, Jr. “MAP is essential to our industry’s overall success, given nearly one-quarter of our fresh apple sales are coming from outside U.S. borders.”

MAP is slated to get a boost in total funding over the next several years. In fact, the program will more than double from $90 million to $200 million by the year 2006. President George W. Bush signed this piece of legislation into law in May as part of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, otherwise known as the farm bill.

U.S. apple exports have increased by 313 percent since 1985, the first year the industry participated in the MAP program. Over the course of the program’s existence, the apple industry has received more than $54 million in USDA export promotion funds. One out of every four fresh apples grown in the United States is exported, generating nearly $400 million in sales annually.

USAEC conducts foreign promotions on behalf of California, Michigan, New York, New England, Pennsylvania and Virginia apple growers, while the Washington Apple Commission undertakes export promotion activities on behalf of that state’s apple growers.

MAP funds are matched by apple grower contributions to conduct international marketing and promotional activities in more than 20 countries around the world. Major markets for U.S. apples include Canada, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Latin America, Middle East, Mexico, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom.

For more information, visit USApple’s Web site at www.usapple.org or the Coalition to Promote U.S. Agricultural Exports’ Web site at www.usagexports.org.

The U.S. Apple Association (USApple) is the national trade association representing all segments of the apple industry. Members include 40 state apple associations representing 9,000 apple growers throughout the country, as well as nearly 500 individual firms involved in the apple business. USApple’s mission is to provide the means for all segments of the U.S. apple industry to join in appropriate collective efforts to profitably produce and market apples and apple products.