2007-08 Budget

Funding boost for USA export network

Australian businesses looking to break into the important United States market will benefit from a 2007-08 Federal Budget initiative to extend the Austrade‑managed USA export facilitators programme, Trade Minister, Warren Truss, announced tonight.

Mr Truss said that the Australian Government will provide $11.1 million in funding over two years for the programme that was established in 2005 to help businesses take advantage of export opportunities arising from increased market access under the Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement (AUSFTA).

“Since its introduction the export facilitators programme has directly assisted more than 450 businesses achieve over $280 million in exports to the US and has been effective in developing export opportunities for Australian businesses in the world’s largest market,” Mr Truss said.

“Located around Australia and throughout the US, the 30 export facilitators have helped directly support an 80 per cent increase in export outcomes and helped boost the dollar value of those deals by around 50 per cent since 2005.

“We are now seeing competitive Australian companies succeeding in doing business in areas such as the US$200 billion US Federal Government procurement market, the over US$1 trillion food and beverage market, and selling our agribusiness expertise to American farmers that spend over US$200 billion on farm production inputs each year.

“Innovative and creative Australian businesses, small and large, are increasingly looking to target a growing market of 300 million consumers and to take advantage of the good reputation that Australia has in the US,” Mr Truss said.

Austrade now provides extensive support for Australian exporters in the US market with representation in 19 US cities; eight specialist industry teams including dedicated teams for agribusiness and selling to government; and a network of USA Export Advisers around Australia.

Media Inquiries: Minister Truss' office 02 6277 7420 - Departmental Media Liaison 02 6261 1555