USDA Awards Distilled Spirits Council $564,818 to Promote American Spirits Exports in 2021

WASHINGTON – The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) today announced it was granted $564,818 through its partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Market Access Program (MAP) to promote American spirits exports in 2021, a 10 percent increase over 2020 funding levels.

“DISCUS’ export promotion program has proven to be an effective resource for craft distillers interested in expanding into foreign markets,” said Charles McEntee, DISCUS Manager, Export Promotions. “Since 2014, DISCUS’ MAP activities have directly resulted in nearly $6 million in new exports for craft distillers across the United States.”

DISCUS began participating in the program in 2006 and has conducted spirits promotions in cooperation with USDA in 18 foreign markets. Since that time, total U.S. spirits exports increased by nearly 85 percent, from $831 million in 2006 to $1.54 billion in 2019.

This past year, DISCUS conducted MAP trade promotions in Germany, China, South Africa and Japan.

“The DISCUS partnership with USDA to promote U.S. distilled spirits exports continues to generate concrete results for U.S. distillers across the United States,” said Christine LoCascio, DISCUS Chief of Public Policy.  “This increase for the DISCUS program is a testament to the great work of the Export Promotion team to pivot in response to the challenges of the pandemic and develop very creative and effective ways to promote U.S. distilled spirits exports.”

In addition to MAP, DISCUS applied for and received $1,215,000 in 2019 under USDA’s Agriculture Trade Program (ATP), which was set up specifically to assist those agricultural groups that are being adversely impacted by retaliatory tariffs.  The program expires at the end of 2021.

Under ATP, DISCUS has implemented media campaigns in Mexico, Canada, the EU and UK to build greater awareness among adult consumers of American Whiskey and help regain market share lost as a result of retaliatory tariffs on American Whiskey. Since the EU’s 25 percent retaliatory tariff went into effect in June 2018, American Whiskey exports to the EU have tumbled by 41 percent.

Recently, DISCUS sponsored an export promotion in London featuring a bicycle tasting tour with a Master Mixologist pedaling to the doorstep of on-trade businesses and spirits media outlets to offer a unique socially distanced tasting experience. Photos: Riding through London; Bicycle liquor chest; Master Mixologist tasting

Through the MAP and ATP programs, DISCUS seeks to facilitate the increase of small U.S. distiller exports and promote the U.S. sprits sector by educating the hospitality industry, adult consumers and media in key international markets on the taste, heritage and style of American distilled spirits.

DISCUS’ promotions focus on the range of American spirits, but with a particular focus on the unique qualities of American Whiskeys, including Bourbon, Tennessee Whiskey, American Rye Whiskey and American Single Malt, which account for the vast majority of U.S. spirits exports worldwide.

For more information about DISCUS’ export promotion programs, contact Charles McEntee, Manager, Export Promotions at [email protected]

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The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States is the leading voice and advocate for distilled spirits in the United States.  DISCUS prohibits discrimination in its programs on the basis of race, religion, national origin, age, gender, disability, or other protected status.