What are Research and Promotion Programs?
National research and promotions programs help industries expand domestic and foreign markets for their commodities. Through these self-help programs, commodity groups can conduct production research, marketing research and development, consumer education and information, industry information, advertising, promotion, marketing and crisis management. Requested by industry, national research and promotion programs are approved in a national referendum by those who would be covered by the program. Research and promotion programs are funded by mandatory assessments collected by the board from domestic and/or imported commodities. USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) provides oversight, paid for by industry assessments, which helps ensure fiscal responsibility, program efficiency and fair treatment of participating stakeholders. Who Manages Research and Promotion Programs? From industry nominations, the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture appoints national boards to carry out these programs. The boards according to their respective orders, may be composed of producers, handlers, importers, processors, manufacturers as well as others in the marketing chain. USDA seeks nominees to reflect the diversity of their industries.
View the Fruit, Vegetable & Specialty Crop Research and Promotion Programs Factsheet (pdf)