Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), Thailand

The Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) works to improve foreign market access for U.S. products. The Office of Agricultural Affairs of the Embassy of the United States in Thailand represents the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) in Thailand and Burma.

FAS has the primary responsibility for USDA's international activities - market development, trade agreements and negotiations, and the collection and analysis of statistics and market information. FAS operates programs designed to build new markets and improve the competitive position of U.S. agriculture in the global marketplace.

FAS also administers USDA's export credit guarantee, import quotas, and food aid programs, and helps increase income and food availability in developing nations by mobilizing expertise for agriculturally led economic growth.

FAS enhances U.S. agriculture's competitiveness by providing linkages to world resources and international organizations.

FAS coordinates and directs USDA's responsibilities in international trade negotiations, working closely with the U.S. Trade Representative's office in this effort. Trade policy experts in FAS help identify -- and work to reduce -- foreign trade barriers and other practices and policies that hinder U.S. agricultural exports.

As the U.S. enquiry point for World Trade Organization (WTO) sanitary and phytosanitary issues and technical barriers to trade, FAS serves as the official conduit for notifications and comments about these measures.