USGC: ROI 20 to 1 In Farm Bill Spending on Export Market Development

According to a new study, spending on overseas market development for U.S. feed grains and related products increased the value of those exports by an average of $1.71 billion per year from 2010 to 2014.  The U.S. Grains Council says spending on market development also increased U.S. gross domestic product by an average of $5 billion per year, returning $19.76 for every $1 spent by taxpayers.

The study by Cornell University reviewed the economic value of the Grains Council’s programs, unveiled at the USGC Annual Membership Meeting in Houston, Texas, this week.

In addition to successes related to export value and GDP, Council activities created 23,700 full-time jobs with $1.12 billion in labor income each year, while reducing direct government payments to farmers of U.S. grains by an average of $15.3 million a year.

Grains Council Chair Deb Keller of Iowa says the study shows: “Our programs are not only working for our members, they are returning many times more to the federal treasury than they cost.”

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