Kenneth C. Clayton

Associate AdministratorAgricultural Marketing ServiceU.S. Department of Agriculture

OPPORTUNITIES FOR ECONOMISTS IN THE

AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE

2007 Joint Annual Meeting between the American Agricultural Economics Association, the Western

Agricultural Economics Association, and the Canadian Agricultural Economics Society

Program areas: primarily by commodity

Employees:

• Full-time federal 2,512• Other than full-time Federal 1,579• State (federally supervised) 3,959

Cooperative agreements 524

Federal offices 145

Statutes administered 50+

Agency Profile

Voluntary third-party grading, certification, and process verification services for a fee

Support/protect buyers and sellers in commercial transactions

Basis for product and/or production process marketing claims

USDA seal especially important ininternational markets

75 percent of AMS workforce

Cash & Carry Programs

AMS Certification Programs

Industry initiated regulatory programs

Marketing ordersResearch & promotion programs

4 percent of AMS workforce

Industry Self-Help Programs

Marketing Agreements & Orders

Stabilize market conditions and improve producer income through:

• Minimum prices for fluid milk• Quality and quantity requirements• Market development and promotion

AMS marketing orders include:

• 11 dairy marketing orders• 34 fruit & vegetable marketing orders

Research & Promotion Programs

AMS provides Federal oversight of industry funded self-help programs

Research & Promotion Programs include:

Avocado Cotton Beef Dairy Egg Mango Fluid milk Honey Mushroom

Popcorn Peanut Lamb Pork Potato Soybean Watermelon Blueberry

Public Goods Programs

Program beneficiaries broadly based, difficult to individually identify

15 percent of AMS workforce

Market News

600+ daily, monthly, and annual Federal/State and international reports

Time-sensitive information

Internet access

• 40 million hits per year

Covers all major agricultural products

Helps to equalize agricultural marketing opportunities

Commodity Standards

Describe product quality attributes

Provide a common language of trade for buyers and sellers

494 U.S. and international standards in effect:

• Cotton• Dairy products• Fruits and vegetables

Utilized in user fee grading and market news reporting

• Livestock and meat• Poultry and eggs• Tobacco

Transportation Services

Conducts economic studies and analyses on distribution of agricultural products in domestic and international markets

Assists shippers entering the export market

Represents U.S. agricultural interests on transportation issues before industry and governmental regulatory bodies

Wholesale & Farmers Market Development

Assists in feasibility analysis and preliminary design of public wholesale marketing facilities

Provides technical assistance on farmer direct marketing

Operates USDA farmers market

Farmers Market Promotion Program

Commodity Purchases Removes surplus commodities from markets for distribution through National School Lunch Program and other Federal food and nutrition programs

Purchased over $949 million in FY 2006

Meat, fruits and vegetables, poultry products, and fish

Emergency and disaster relief purchases

Regulatory Programs

Promotes fair trading practices

6 percent of AMS workforce

National Organic Program

Develops national standards with the National Organic Standards Board

Enhances marketing opportunities for organically produced foods

Accredits State and private certification agents

Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act

Ensures fair trading in the fresh and frozen fruit and vegetable industry

Issues licenses to companies and individuals that buy, sell, and/or broker commercial quantities of fruits and vegetables in interstate and foreign commerce

Suspends or revokes licenses to firms that violate fair trading practices

Provides a forum for fruit and vegetable firms to resolve contract disputes

Country of Origin Labeling

Provides consumers information on which to base their purchasing decisions

Requires retailers to notify customers of country of origin of covered commodities

Conducts retail surveillance audits

Investigates any consumer complaints received

How Can You Become a How Can You Become a Part?Part?

Student PositionsStudent Positions

1890 National Scholars Program Student Career Experience Program Presidential Management Fellows Program Career Intern Program Student Temporary Employment Program Summer Intern Program

Agricultural Marketing Service

Opportunities for Economists• Employment

Undergraduates – economist, market reporter, marketing specialist

Graduate students – more limited, but periodic needs

• Faculty Development – mini-sabbaticals

• Cooperative Research Agreements – quantitative models, supply & demand elasticities, transportation issues, etc.

• Analytical and research support for agency programsRegulatory impact analysisAnalysis in support of agency business operationsJustification for commodity purchasesResearch and analysis on transportation, marketing

chain, etc.

For More Information

Website: http://www.ams.usda.gov

Phone: 202-720-5115