OTHER FEDERAL SERVICES
In addition to the U.S.Commercial Service and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, several other federal agencies offer help to exporters.
OK, to many of us, government agencies can be a confusion of alphabet soup. Even so, the ones listed below can be helpful to U.S. exporters. If you are in doubt about who to contact, we recommend that you start by contacting us.
Export Import Bank of the United States (ExIm): US exporters use EXIM trade finance products to win deals and get paid: Insurance, Working Capital, and Loan Guarantees. Click here for a summary of EXIM Bank programs and funded exporters in our region. For local EXIM contacts click here.
International Trade Administration (ITA): The ITA, of which the USCS is a part, works to strengthen the competitiveness of U.S. industry, promoting trade and investment, and ensuring fair trade through the trade laws and agreements. It also publishes the Top Market Reports, and maintains statistical trade data.
Food Exporters-Midwest is an agency created by the USDA to help agricultural companies enter international markets through export education, global connections, export strategies, and marketing financial assistance. It works closely with the Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship.
U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA): The SBA works through banks in our region to offer special loan programs for exporters. These are bank loans where SBA guarantees up to 90% of the loan amount, which can be used to finance direct or indirect exports. (For local SBA contacts click here.)
Other relevant federal agencies:
Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) (formerly BXA)
Federal Contract Registration (govt. contract opportunities)
International Trade Commission (Countries of Origin)