scope:

General statement.

This subpart sets forth the criteria to be considered in evaluating and approving proposals for initiatives to facilitate export sales under the Sunflowerseed Oil Assistance Program (SOAP) and Cottonseed Oil Assistance Program (COAP) administered by the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS). These criteria are interrelated and will be considered together in order to select eligible countries for SOAP and COAP initiatives which will best meet the programs' objective. The objective of the programs is to encourage the sale of additional quantities of sunflowerseed oil and cottonseed oil in world markets at competitive prices. Under the SOAP and the COAP, bonuses are made available by FAS to enable exporters to meet prevailing world prices for sunflowerseed oil and cottonseed oil in targeted destinations. In the operation of the SOAP and the COAP, FAS will make reasonable efforts to avoid the displacement of usual marketings of U.S. agricultural commodities.