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Secretary Espy has indicated a strong interest in increased 

 attention to foreign market development and we are aware that 

 changes in FAS are being considered in response to this. We ask 

 that the Department reach out to FAS ' s partners in export 

 promotion for their ideas and concerns, just as Secretary Espy 

 did to the farm community in reorganizing other parts of USDA. 

 This dialogue needs to be initiated when the Department is early 

 in the formative stage of its decision making process. 



We have recently seen a proposed organizational chart which 

 merges the marketing function currently held by product division 

 into one single division covering all product groups. This 

 proposal would reduce the effectiveness of the export expansion 

 program by separating the marketing function from the supportive 

 and integral information and trade policy activities. 

 It would in effect, down grade the marketing staff function by 

 reducing the staff's expertise in given product areas and 

 creating a large department of general ists. This new proposal 

 would maintain the commodity divisions only on the analysis side. 



We would strongly urge that this reorganization be 

 reconsidered and the current, successful structure be maintained 

 but improved by increasing communication and coordination with 

 the trade policy function. The interaction of the market 

 specialists with information analysts by product group has 

 enhanced FAS's ability to interact with the cooperators in their 



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