The Foreign Service Journal, May 2009

36 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / M A Y 2 0 0 9 lectively populated by hundreds of millions of people, could be U.S. agriculture’s next markets. Export promotion and trade policy effectiveness create good jobs — and not just for farmers. The ERS estimates that in 2007 the $89.9 billion of agricultural exports in- creased U.S. economic output by $215.7 billion. Agricul- tural exports that year generated 808,000 full-time jobs, including 537,000 nonfarm jobs created by purchases of inputs, transport, food processing and other services. Jobs linked to exports tend to earn 13 to 18 percent more than jobs elsewhere in the economy. This makes agricultural trade an important contributor to the entire U.S. economy. New Partners, New Missions In moving forward, the Foreign Agricultural Service will need to find a way to carry out its current mission while accommodating the emerging challenges. For example, FAS may need to reshape market development programs so they reflect the complexity of globalized production sys- tems and supply chains. Programs that require products to be completely of U.S. origin or do not count trade that is transshipped or sent for further processing may need to be modified. Increasing food imports and ongoing food safety issues may require FAS to allocate its resources in new ways. Re- lated national security issues could play a larger role in the agency’s activities — even beyond its current large-scale involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan. FAS also needs to improve its engagement with those concerned about climate change, food safety and other is- sues. Better communication could improve transparency and may ultimately reduce the rejection of U.S. products overseas. Although the challenges are substantial, they are not in- surmountable — if FAS can convince its stakeholders to support change. At a time when the agency’s mission faces new challenges, it is important to remember our vital con- nection to American farmers and taxpayers. As long as we can continue convincing our customers of the value of our work, FAS has a bright future. ■ F O C U S