Please enjoy the following summary from our latest newsletter reporting on the recent Export Development Program activities.
April 2013 Newsletter  

2013 EDP Allocations
The EDP is funded in large part annually by export assistance grants made available through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). For 2013, funding announcements from USDA were delayed due to fiscal
cliff and other budget negotiations that presented obstacles to passage of a new Farm Bill. Ultimately, Congress approved a one year extension to the previous Farm Bill and that allowed USDA to move forward with grant
allocations to the BA and other recipients. In March, the BA was awarded $458,013 from the Market Access Program (MAP) and another $46,000 from the Emerging Markets Program.

American Craft Beer Exports Soar Again in 2012
Based on results from a recently-completed industry survey, craft beer export volume increased by an astounding 72 percent compared to 2011, with a value estimated at $49.1 million. Canada remained the industry's largest export market, with shipments increasing 140 percent by volume (up to 68,180 barrels) in 2012. Significant gains have been made in Ontario and British Columbia, and American craft beers are now gaining distribution in other provinces. Sweden and the United Kingdom remained the next two largest markets.

New Quality Control Guide in Design Stage
Quality control has always been paramount to the EDP and the program provides a number of avenues to educate and address quality control issues with exported beer. A recent initiative related to encouraging better distribution and handling practices among trading partners has been the development of a new guide. The QC guide, as it is being called, in now in the BA Graphic Design Department and will be made public this year.

Activities of the EDP’s Craft Beer Ambassador to Europe
The BA renewed the contract of Andreas Fält in 2013 as the EDP’s craft beer ambassador to Europe. Andreas is uniquely qualified having worked for major importers of American craft beer in Sweden and England and serving as a judge on an ongoing basis at beer competitions around the world, including the World Beer Cup and GABF. Andreas’ role as ambassador is largely centered around education and promotion. He conducts seminars on American craft beer for trade and consumer groups in countries all over Europe, and participates on the BA’s behalf in trade shows.

EDP Awards Handed Out at CBC
The EDP also continued its annual tradition at the CBC of handing out awards won by member breweries at international brewing competitions the previous year. This year, Mark Snyder hosted the awards ceremony, which took place on Thursday, March 28. Awards were handed out from the Australian International Beer Awards, the Stockholm Beer and Whiskey Festival, the Brussels Beer Challenge and the European Beer Star. Representatives affiliated with each of the competitions were also on hand to assist with the awards ceremony.

EDP Presentations at CBC Now Available
The EDP again sponsored a track of seminars at the recently-completed Craft Brewers Conference in Washington, DC. This year’s speakers included James Smith of the Crafty Pint (Australia), Kimberley Giesbrecht of the Liquor Distribution Branch (British Columbia), Missy Keller and David McCaleb (TTB), and Michel Jamais, beer and wine writer and educator (Europe).

EDP Prepares for Brazilian Trade Mission
The EDP’s 2013 Emerging Markets Program grant (previous story) is specific to activities in Brazil. That USDA program reserves funds for technical and educational/training purposes in low income countries only. Brazil qualifies and so was the target of the BA’s proposal in 2013.

USDA to Audit BA Grant and Civil Rights Compliance This Year
Grants from the USDA for export promotion come with strings attached. There are a variety of rules and regulations that govern the use of federal funds and the BA is audited periodically by USDA compliance staff to ensure expenditures remain within the rules. The BA has historically performed well in these audits which is another reason for the good support enjoyed by the BA’s export program among USDA administrators. The next financial compliance audit is scheduled for this July.