ALTHOUGH FAS MAINTAINS AN ENVIABLE GLOBAL NETWORK OF 

 AGRICULTURAL FIELD OFFICES, THE LOCATION OF THESE OFFICES 

 EXHIBITS QUESTIONABLE STRATEGIC POSITIONING WHEN VIEWED IN 

 THE CONTEXT OF OVERALL EXPORT INTERESTS. FAS OFHCES SHOULD 

 CONSTITUTE THE FRONT LINE OF THE U.S. AGRICULTURAL SECTOR 

 OVERSEAS. SPECIFICALLY, WHEREAS INDIVIDUAL PRIVATE EXPORTING 

 COMPANIES HAVE RELATIVELY SHORT-TERM HORIZONS (AS DEFINED BY 

 STOCKHOLDERS' INTERESTS). INDUSTRY ORGANIZATIONS (I.E., 

 COOPERATORS) HAVE LONGER-TERM HORIZONS. HOWEVER, THE 

 INTERESTS OF INDl'STRIES ARE STILL CONSTRAINED TO A RELATIVELY 

 SHORT (3-4 YEARS) TIME SPAN AND THUS MOST COOPERATORS 

 ALLOCATE RESOURCES TO MARKETS WHERE TRADE IS ALREADY 

 OCCURRING IN SUBSTANTIAL VOLUMES. FOR EXAMPLE, IT IS DIFFICULT 

 TO JUSTIFY TO A PRODUCER ON "RURAL ROUTE ONE" THE NEED FOR AN 

 OFFICE IN SHANGHAI. 



THIS IS WHERE USDA/FAS HAS AN ADVANTAGE. FAS RESOURCES 

 SHOULD FOCUS ITS ACTIVITIES IN THE STRATEGIC MARKETS OF THE 

 FUTURE, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHERE U.S. AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRIES 

 HAVE A LOW LEVEL OF EXPOSURE AND REPRESENTATION AND LONG- 

 TERM COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL. SPECIFICALLY, IT IS DIFFICULT TO 

 STRATEGICALLY JUSTIFY AN OFHCE IN COSTA RICA, PORTUGAL, 



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