EXIM President and Chairman Kimberly A. Reed and USDA Under Secretary Ted McKinney show off the memorandum of understanding they had just signed. The U.S. Department of Agriculture and EXIM Bank on Aug. 31st announced a three-year collaborative effort to promote the export of U.S. agricultural commodities.

The initiative will facilitate engagement between EXIM and USDA to identify opportunities to increase the export of U.S. agricultural commodities, as well as the development of an educational program to increase awareness of export opportunities among small agribusinesses and cooperatives.

“Given my extensive background in food and agriculture, I have made sure that supporting U.S. agricultural and rural business exports are priorities at EXIM,” says EXIM Chairwoman Kimberly A. Reed. “We look forward to closer collaboration with USDA, and I thank USDA Secretary Perdue and Under Secretary McKinney for their leadership.”

“We all know, but oftentimes forget, that food is the sustenance of life,” said USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney.

“This MOU [memorandum of understanding] is bringing EXIM and USDA together to help make sure that food is transported safely and effectively so that people eat, at a time when many people do not eat well. With USDA’s outreach through our Foreign Agricultural Service, and EXIM’s resources, this MOU is a match made in heaven.”