Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Jon Ossoff and Reverend Raphael Warnock are pushing the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to help Georgia farmers export more pecans.
Sens. Ossoff and Reverend Warnock are urging the USDA to provide adequate promotional resources for marketing Georgia pecans to the global market.
The inquiry comes after the USDA announced the first tranche of funding under the Regional Agricultural Promotion Program (RAPP), a program aimed at increasing U.S. exports to new markets, included only a small allocation for pecan promotion.
“According to USDA, RAPP is intended to build demand for American agricultural exports in high-potential markets around the globe,” the Senators wrote. “Therefore, we were disappointed to see the U.S. pecan industry receive a woefully inadequate allocation under this program.”
“As you consider future allocations through the Regional Agricultural Promotion Program and other agricultural export support programs, such as the Market Access Program, we urge you to give the fullest consideration to products like pecans which have enormous potential to support the growth of American agricultural exports to countries around the world,” the Senators continued.
According to data from the USDA, more than half of all pecan exports have gone to only two countries since 2019.
Sen. Ossoff continues leading the charge to support Georgia’s farmers and strengthen the state’s agricultural industry.
In 2022, Sen. Ossoff helped announce the Republic of India would slash tariffs on imported pecan products, following his work with the Indian government alongside Senator Reverend Warnock, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02), and Congressman Austin Scott (GA-08).
In May, following Sen. Ossoff’s push, the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) established a Seasonal and Perishable Agricultural Products Advisory Committee and appointed Georgia representatives to the panel.
In April, Sen. Ossoff began working to bring Republicans and Democrats together to pass the bipartisan Specialty CROP Act of 2023, legislation he co-sponsored to support Georgia’s farmers and level the playing field to boost exports.
In October, Sens. Ossoff and Reverend Raphael Warnock urged the Biden Administration to support Georgia’s agricultural industry following natural disasters.
Click here to read Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock’s inquiry with the USDA.
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