10/28/05 Having a say on M.A.P.

Pear Bureau Northwest President Kevin Moffitt was recently elected as Secretary  Treasurer of the U.S. Agricultural Export Development Council. MOFFITT: This organization is the group that communicates with the U.S.D.A. regarding issues surrounding the M.A.P. program that apples, pears, and cherries get funding from the U.S. government for our export programs. So this is the direct communication bridge between the U.S.D.A. Foreign Agricultural Service and all of the cooperators that apply and receive those grants funds from the U.S.D.A. And because of his election to the Council board, Moffitt is up for consideration for the positions of Vice-Chair, and then Chair, after his two year term as Secretary  Treasurer is up. And what that means is a greater voice from the Pacific Northwest in terms of how Market Access Program funds are applied to our region. And that doesn't just mean tree fruit. Moffitt says his new position means greater representation for all of our region's commodities, from wheat to berries, in discussing issues related to the M.A.P. program with the prominent decision makers. MOFFITT: The first issue is really just to ensure that the U.S.D.A. and then through further than that even, into the Congress, understands the importance of exports to all of our industries, and more so how the Market Access Program helps us to develop new markets to develop our export programs. And Moffitt says that will mean doing some promotion, or as he puts it, storytelling, of how M.A.P. funding has benefited those commodity organizations in obtaining new and improved markets.