Analysis of agricultural trade promotion and facilitation in the 2018 Farm Bill

The Market Access Program (MAP) and the Foreign Market Development (FMD) by far are the largest trade programs averaging $175 and $26 million, respectively, with very little variation year over year. This lopsided allocation between MAP and FMD seemingly is largely reflective of the natural growth of the programs over time (and of the legislative environment when they were created), there is otherwise very little explanation for the 6.7:1 imbalance. Moreover, there is very little analysis that examines the relative strengths/weaknesses of each program. However, Europe spends more promoting wine than the United States spends promoting all US agricultural products combined.