Embassy Sections

Foreign Agricultural Service

The Foreign Agricultural Service mission is to promote U.S. agriculture by expanding export opportunities and world food security.

Major Activities:

Commodity Reporting:

	Scheduled reports as part of a world-wide network monitoring world-wide supply of major commodities
	Agricultural Situation Report for Guatemala
	Market Briefs on Select Products
	Special Requests

Trade Servicing:

	Business Counseling
	Information on local food laws and trade restrictions
	Buyer lists
	Assistance in trade problems
	Removal of trade barriers

Promotion Activities:

	Trade Shows
	Supermarket & Restaurant Promotions
	Technical Assistance in food product specifications and handling
	Educational Programs on food and human and animal nutrition
	Administer Market Promotion Program and Foreign Market Development Program

Credit programs:

	GSM-102/103
	Supplier Credit
	P.L.-480
	Facilities Guarantee Program

Technical Assistance:

	P.L.-480 Title I
	Cochran Fellowship Program
	Emerging Democracies Programs
	Food for Progress through local Non -governmental Organizations (CARE, CRS etc.)

Support for other USDA and Food Related Agencies and Programs:

	Administer Sugar Quota
	Food Safety Inspection Service
	Agricultural Marketing Service
	Forest Service
	Food and Drug Administration

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Agriculture Secretary Johanns Highlights Cafta-DR Successes in Guatemala.  Secretary Mike Johanns spent two days in Guatemala, the second stop on a trip to highlight early successes of CAFTA-DR. “The benefits of CAFTA-DR extend beyond reduced tariffs to important trade capacity building projects that strengthen communities – as I’ve witnessed today in Guatemala,” said Johanns. “For the first year that CAFTA-DR has been in effect, two-way agricultural trade between the United States and Guatemala is up by more than 16 percent, and we expect that growth to continue.”

U.S. Experts Conduct Seminar on Biosecurity in Guatemala.  Three U.S. experts in the field of biosecurity will conduct the seminar “Biosecurity Based on Science”, with the purpose of sharing experiences in the scientific and regulatory aspects being developed by the United States to take advantage of biotechnology. The seminar is scheduled for Thursday, July 12, from 8:00 to 17:30 hrs, at the Salón Escultura of the Holiday Inn Hotel (1ª. Avenida 13-22, Zona 10, Guatemala City).

Partnership Offering New Opportunities for Farmers in Guatemala.  With the help of agriculture experts from the Universidad del Valle (UVG) in Guatemala City and the Borlaug Institute of Texas A&M University, Maria is learning how to grow and sell more than just maize, an important traditional crop in her part of the world. Texas A&M is a U.S. government-supported university involved in agricultural research and outreach.

New Program Encourages Guatemalans To Eat Pork.  The new program "Pork Meat Qualities and Benefits for Human Health" inaugurated today contributes to the implementation of a strategy in Guatemala to educate its people regarding the safety measures taken by the U.S. pork industry to ensure U.S. pork products are safe and healthy, and encourage its consumption.

United States to Donate Corn to Guatemala.  The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on September 7 that it will donate 18,000 metric tons of yellow corn to the Government of Guatemala. The Government of Guatemala will sell the corn in Guatemala and use the proceeds for trade capacity building activities.