Trans-World Genetis Wins Madigan Award for U.S. Agricultural Export Excellence - livestock genetics - Government Activity

AgExporter, June, 2001 by Linda Habenstreit

The Edward R. Madigan U.S. Agricultural Export Excellence Award

The Edward R. Madigan U.S. Agricultural Export Excellence Award was created under the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 to honor entrepreneurial efforts to advance U.S. agricultural exports. It is named for the 24th U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, the late Edward R. Madigan, who, as an Illinois Congressman and later as Secretary of Agriculture, played a major role in reshaping U.S. agricultural policy to enable farmers and ranchers to respond more effectively to market signals and pursue export opportunities.

The Madigan Award is designed to help increase U.S. agricultural exports by:

* identifying the efforts of U.S. companies to develop and expand markets through new products and services and innovative marketing techniques;

* recognizing the achievements of those who have demonstrated or supported entrepreneurial efforts to expand and create new markets for, or increase the value or volume of, U.S. agricultural exports; and

* disseminating information on successful methods for developing and expanding markets for U.S. agricultural exports.

Companies may apply for award consideration in one of three categories by writing to the board of evaluators or by being nominated for the award by the governor of the state in which they are headquartered. The board, consisting of five members, may select up to 12 award recipients each year. The three categories are:

* development of new products or services for agricultural export markets;

* development of new agricultural export markets; or

* creative marketing of products or services in these markets.

To qualify for the Madigan Award, companies must have exhibited significant entrepreneurial effort or provided significant assistance to others to create new markets for, or to increase exports of, U.S. agricultural products.