FOLSOM,
Calif., May 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The
California Walnut Commission, representing more than 4,600
California walnut growers, mostly
multi-generational family farms, and nearly 70 handlers, is pleased
to announce it has been awarded $7
million in funding as part of the Regional Agricultural
Promotion Program (RAPP) to expand distribution and sales of
California Walnuts in international markets.
The CWC thanks Agriculture Secretary Tom
Vilsack, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Foreign
Agricultural Service for enacting the Regional Agricultural
Promotion Program and recent award announcements to help support
the expansion of California Walnuts and other US commodity exports
into emerging markets. This additional funding will allow the
industry to expand programs into new markets as well as boost
activities in existing strategic export markets, with the goal of
increasing distribution and driving sales of high-quality
California walnuts globally.
RAPP funding will enhance the Commission's work by expanding
market access in new opportunity markets, in conjunction with
driving sales of California
walnuts in international markets currently funded through the
Market Access Program (MAP). The CWC plans to attain success by
leveraging the combined funding to conduct similar programs and
activities as it was able to achieve in the United Kingdom (UK) utilizing the one-time
Agricultural Trade Promotion Program (ATP) funds. In the UK, the
industry was able to build programs that drove additional displays
and distribution, resulting in increased retail sales and growing
California walnut shipments +65%
since 2018. The UK is now a top ten export market.
"Funding from the Market Access Program has been essential to
our success over the years, and the introduction of RAPP funds
will provide additional opportunities to drive new distribution and
grow sales for California walnuts
in even more new and exciting ways" said Robert Verloop, CEO for California Walnut
Commission. "We're eager for the opportunity of RAPP to expand
sales of and expand market access for California walnuts."
About the California Walnut Commission
The California
Walnut Commission (CWC) represents more than 4,600 California walnut growers and nearly 70
handlers, grown in multi-generational farmers' family orchards.
California walnuts, known for
their excellent nutritional value and quality, are shipped around
the world all year long, with more than 99% of the walnuts grown in
the United States being from
California. The CWC, established
in 1987, promotes usage of walnuts through domestic and export
market development activities as well as supports health research
with consuming walnuts.
To explore recipes and learn more about California walnut growers, industry
information and health research, visit walnuts.org.
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SOURCE California Walnut Commission