Additional RAPP Funds Announced

What do you know about the UDSA’s Regional Agricultural Promotion Program, better known as RAPP?

“RAPP specifically is about developing new markets and diversifying away from certain," said Andrew Brandt of the U.S. Grains Council.  " So, we are doing that.  I think we're off to a good start and hopefully we will continue to have successes.” 

“This allows us to get super aggressive in some of the emerging regions. We otherwise wouldn't be nearly as aggressive in," said Dan Hallstrom of the US Meat Export Federation. 

Both the U.S. Grains Council and USMEF received funding in the first round RAPP grant awards back in May.  Last week, USDA announced the second round of RAPP grants $300 million to over 60 partners, with roughly $25 million of that set aside for projects focused on market development in Africa. 

“We have worked primarily with Nigeria is one of our major buyers of hard red winter wheat and other classes and South Africa. Those are the two main buyers in sub-Saharan Africa," said Steve Mercer, Vice President at U.S. Wheat Associates.  "Now, with the RAPP program, we can actually reach out to far more millers around Africa and many different countries, several countries in Western Africa that I know we're having crop quality seminars in additional countries this year because of RAPP.”

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