International Trade Office Honored for Work with Marketing Program

The Georgia Department of Agriculture’s International Trade Office is to be honored by the Southern U.S. Trade Association (SUSTA) this month for its work with the Association’s Market Access Program.

The Market Access Program (MAP) is designed to financially assist small agricultural businesses that wish to expand the sales of their products overseas.
Funded by the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), businesses that are MAP Branded can receive up to 50 percent reimbursement for expenses such as advertising, freight charges, promotional material and trade shows among other costs.

Eligible products include fresh produce, snack foods, condiments, beverages, hides and skins, pet foods and other agricultural goods.

The International Trade Office is to be formally recognized by SUSTA and will give a presentation on its approach to recruiting companies at SUSTA’s upcoming meeting in New Orleans on March 18th.  Out of the 15 states, along with Puerto Rico, that are members of SUSTA, Georgia’s International Trade Office met with the most (16) MAP Branded-eligible companies in the past year.

“Georgia Department of Agriculture is synonymous with getting things done,” says Bernadette Wiltz, Deputy Director/Generic Program Director for SUSTA.

“Although we’ve been successful in recruiting businesses to the program, the door is still open for newcomers,” adds Georgia Department of Agriculture Commissioner Tommy Irvin. “There are still many businesses in Georgia that could benefit from the program.”

For more information, the Office of International Trade and Domestic Marketing can be reached by phone at (404) 656-3740 or by fax at (404) 656-9380.

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