Role of the US Dry Bean Council
- Represents the U.S. dry bean industry to the U.S. federal government, primarily in the U.S. Congress and at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). As a principal focus, the USDBC’s applies for US Government export development funds and, in turn, uses those funds to develop and implement export promotion campaigns aimed at increasing U.S. exports of US-farmer-grown dry edible beans to overseas markets.
- Promotes U.S. dry beans within the United States.
- Represents the industry on governmental affairs matters such as U.S. Congressional legislation, the U.S. Farm Bill, and other regulatory issues affecting the bean industry.
- Receives marketing support under the USDA’s Market Access Program (MAP) and the Foreign Market Development (FMD) program to undertake export promotion and market development activities in more than 15 countries.
- Undertakes strictly promotional and market-development activities and does not engage in the actual buying, selling or shipping of products.
- Contracts with overseas representatives located in France, Spain, Japan, Thailand and Mexico, as well as with the Food Aid representative to manage the organization’s extensive work in its overseas ending-hunger initiatives. These representatives are responsible for implementing specific country and regional marketing plans within the Council’s mission of global bean promotion.
In 2006 alone, the USDBC donated more than 34,000 tons (30,000 metric tons or 68,000,000 pounds) of beans to humanitarian feeding programs throughout the world.