provided by Research Papers in Economics
FOREIGN AGRICULTURAL SERVICE
PROGRAMS AND FOREIGN RELATIONS
Max Myers, Administrator
Foreign Agricultural Service
U. S. Department of Agriculture
I have been asked to discuss the Foreign Agricultural Service—
what it does, how it is organized—and, with this, U. S. agricultural
export possibilities and export problems.
The Foreign Agricultural Service is one of the operating agencies
of the U. S. Department of Agriculture. It has one “big” job—expand-
ing exports of U. S. farm products. Other Department and other gov-
ernment agencies are participating, too, and good progress is being
made. Shipments in the past three years have been larger than in any
other period in U. S. history, averaging over 4 billion dollars annually.
Currently, U. S. exports moving overseas represent the production
from 40 million acres of cropland. That is an area equal to the har-
vested acreage of the eight Rocky Mountain and the three Pacific
Coast states.
The Washington staff work of FAS falls into three major cate-
gories: market development; agricultural trade policy and analysis;
and administration of the world-wide attache service, which main-
tains posts in 51 countries. The staff also has several other functions.
All segments of FAS cooperate in one way or another in handling
specific lines of work.
One of the regular jobs of FAS is reporting on foreign agricultural
developments, such as foreign production, prices, trade barriers, com-
petition, and marketing opportunities. FAS also is interested in im-
ports, not only imports of products that may compete with ours, but
also the non-competitive items—coffee, cocoa, sugar, and others—
which help to build up purchasing power in other countries. The at-
taches play a big part in the reporting operation. The information
collected from all sources is analyzed, interpreted, and made public.
FAS joins in U. S. Government efforts to remove embargoes,
quotas, restrictions, and other barriers which restrict market expansion
for U. S. farm products. U. S. pressure for trade liberalization is ap-
plied through diplomatic representation, in which FAS agricultural
attaches take part; periodic meetings under the General Agreement
on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), participated in by FAS and other
U. S. Government personnel; and activities of other international
organizations, including the International Monetary Fund.
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