Final Version
USDA Foreign Agricultural Service
The USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) is interested in your feedback and how it can better improve its services to you. The survey questions will cover the three goals of FAS: Creating a level playing field for international trade; Expanding the global agricultural trading system; Reducing technical trade barriers and restrictive SPS (sanitary and phytosanitary) measures. Please take a few moments to respond to our survey, which is being administered by CFI Group, a third-party customer satisfaction research organization.
CFI Group will treat all information you provide as confidential. All information you provide will be combined with others’ for research and reporting purposes. Your individual responses will not be released.
This survey will take approximately 15-20 minutes and is authorized by the Office of Management and Budget Control number 1090-0007.
One of the main goals of FAS is to create a level playing field for U.S. producers and exporters in the international market.
Please rate how well FAS in doing in the following areas that aim to make the playing field level for U.S. producers and exporters. Use a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 means “Poor” and 10 means “Excellent.” If you are not familiar with a particular item, or it does not apply to you, please answer “Not Applicable.”
Q1.Reducing tariffs to allow for better international market access for U.S. producers and exporters
Q2. Addressing regulations such as sanitary, phytosanitary and technical regulations (such as labeling) that restrict trade expansion
Q3. Eliminating barriers to trade through negotiation of trade agreements
Q4. Incorporating U.S. producer and exporter priorities into trade agreements
Q5. Providing timely reporting and notifications on monitoring and enforcement activities related to international trade agreements
Q6. Administering import quotas in an effective manner
Q7. Providing information regarding trade agreement obligations in an open and transparent manner
Q8. Implementing international dispute settlement decisions in a timely manner
Q9. Representing U.S. agricultural interests in the World Trade Organization
Q10. Enforcing existing trade agreements
Q11. Developing strategic relationships with foreign governments
Q12. Advancing issues and positions of U.S. producers and exporters through effective communication
Q13. Ability of overseas FAS offices to intervene and resolve trade disruptions
Q14. Building international support for U.S. producers and exporters
Q15. Building international support in collaboration with U.S. partners, such as U.S. producers and exporters and U.S. Land Grant Colleges and Universities
Another goal of FAS is to expand the global agricultural trading system. Please rate how well FAS in doing in the following areas that aim to expand the global agricultural trading system for U.S. producers and exporters. Use a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 means “Poor” and 10 means “Excellent.” If you are not familiar with a particular item, or it does not apply to you, please answer “Not Applicable.”
Q16. Facilitating the entry of U.S. companies into difficult-to-enter markets through FAS overseas offices
Q17. Supporting the development of commercial markets in developing countries
Q18. Initiating and supporting dialogue with U.S. agricultural product processing industry, producers and exporters
Q19. FAS knowledge of global commodity markets
Q20. Usefulness of FAS commodity and processed product market analysis to your operations
Q21. Usefulness of international production estimates to your operations
Q22. Market analysis supporting export expansion efforts
Q23. Supporting agricultural export industry trade missions and trade teams
Q24. Timeliness of the funding reimbursement under market development programs
Q25. Timeliness of the receiving FMD, MAP, QSP, EMP and TASC funding
Q26. Management of market development and grant programs effectively mitigates constraints to trade and increase exports
Q27. Providing enhanced export opportunities by supporting credit risky markets under GSM-102
Q28. Facilitating the entry of U.S. companies into foreign markets through GSM-102.
Q29. Aiding in maintaining U.S. market share through GSM-102.
Q30. Building trade capacity in developing countries
Q31. Using trade capacity building to further U.S. Government trade policy priorities
Q32. Using trade capacity building to increase market access for U.S. producers and exporters
Q33. Contribution of agricultural reconstruction, stabilization and development activities to international economic development
Q34. Contribution of country and regional strategies to international economic development
Q35. Contribution of international bio-fuels initiative to international economic development
Q36. Supporting international economic development
Another goal of FAS is to reduce technical trade barriers and restrictive SPS measures. Please rate how well FAS in doing in the following areas that aim to reduce technical trade barriers and restrictive SPS measures. Use a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 means “Poor” and 10 means “Excellent.” If you are not familiar with a particular item, or it does not apply to you, please answer “Not Applicable.”
Q37. Enforcing international SPS rules to ensure foreign regulations comply with WTO agreements and are least disruptive to trade
Q38. Eliminating specific SPS barriers in key U.S. export markets
Q39. Maintaining strong relationships with foreign regulatory officials through overseas attachés
Q40. Addressing agricultural commodity and product import problems on the ground in a timely manner
Q41. Coordinating different USDA agencies to effectively respond to overseas problems
Q42. Facilitating interaction between industry and USDA agencies to respond to overseas problems
Q43. Coordinating with industry on research and marketing efforts that support USDA SPS objectives
Q44. Promoting two-way trade
Q45. Supporting the adoption of International Standards
Q46. Strengthening the establishment and enforcement of a Global SPS regulatory framework
Effective management is fundamental to accomplishing the Agency’s strategic goals. Please rate how well FAS in doing in the following areas that aim to improve FAS administrative operations. Use a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 means “Poor” and 10 means “Excellent.” If you are not familiar with a particular item, or it does not apply to you, please answer “Not Applicable.”
Q47. Collaborating with U.S. exporters to develop comprehensive foreign market strategies
Q48. Incorporating industry and exporter priorities into comprehensive foreign market strategies
Q49. Implementing foreign market strategies
Q50. Have you contacted FAS staff recently (e.g. in the past year)?
Yes (Continue to intro before Q48)
No (Skip to Q56)
Don’t Know (Skip to Q56)
Please rate the FAS staff on the following areas. Use a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 means “Poor” and 10 means “Excellent.” If you are not familiar with a particular item, or it does not apply to you please answer “Not Applicable.”
Q51. Ease of access to staff
Q52. Professionalism and courteousness of staff
Q53. Knowledge of your industry
Q54. Understanding of your business needs
Q55. Knowledge of foreign markets
Q56. Effectiveness in facilitating interaction with other U.S. Government offices or representatives
Q57. Effectiveness in representing and promoting your business needs
Q58. Follow up provided by staff
Q59. First, please consider your overall experiences with the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service. Using a 10-point scale on which “1” means “Very dissatisfied” and “10” means “Very satisfied,” how satisfied are you with the Foreign Agricultural Service?
Q60. To what extent has the Foreign Agricultural Service met your expectations? Please use a 10-point scale on which "1" now means "Not met your expectations" and "10" means, "Exceeds your expectations."
Q61. Forget about the Foreign Agricultural Service for a moment. Now, imagine the ideal organization that works to improve foreign market access and the competitive position of U.S. agriculture in the global marketplace, and provides food aid and technical assistance to foreign countries.
How well does the Foreign Agricultural Service compare with that ideal? Please use a 10-point scale on which "1" means "Not very close to the ideal" and "10" means "Very close to the ideal."
Q62. How can the Foreign Agricultural Service provide you with better service? Please provide any additional comments about USDA Foreign Agricultural Service.
Q63. How likely are you to use the Foreign Agricultural Service again in the future if you need a similar service? Please use a 10-point scale where “1” is “Not very likely” and “10” is “Very likely.”
Q64. How confident are you in the services that the Foreign Agricultural Service will provide you with help to meet your business needs? Please use a 10-point scale where “1” is “Not very confident” and “10” is “Very confident.”
Thank you for taking the time to participate in this survey. USDA Foreign Agricultural Service appreciates your input.
2011 FAS Customer Satisfaction Survey
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| File Title | USDA Foreign Agricultural Service |
| Author | FAS |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2021-02-03 |