USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service and Commodity Credit Corporation published yesterday a final rule regarding revisions and amendments to the Market Access Program (MAP).  MAP’s application requirements and activity plan requirements were updated and merged by the final rule and reflects the Unified Export Strategy.

In addition, the rule clarifies the eligibility of activities designed to address international market access issues; modifies the list of eligible and ineligible contributions; revises the portions of the regulation regarding evaluations, contracting procedures, and the compliance review and appeals process; eliminates the Export Incentive Program/Market Access Program (EIP/MAP) as a separate sub-component; and makes other administrative changes.

This final rule adopts the substantive provisions of the proposed rule published September 8, 2009, revising and amending MAP regulations, with changes made to reflect public comments to the proposed rule, according to the Federal Register notice.  The rule became effective yesterday, and the regulation will become applicable for each MAP participant at the beginning of the MAP participant’s 2013 program year, which is  January 1, 2013 or July 1, 2013.

The Federal Register notice is available here.