(NDAgConnection.com) – A piece of bipartisan legislation, if passed, would help increase market access for U.S. farmers and the goods they produce. Democratic Congressman Jim Costa introduced the Supporting Market Access to Reinvigorate Trade (SMART) Act on Nov. 3.

Republican Congresspeople Dan Newhouse, Tracey Mann and Ashley Hinson co-sponsored the bill, reports Farms.com.

The American Soybean Association and Coalition to Promote U.S. Agricultural Exports are among the industry groups supporting the bill.

The piece of legislation calls for additional funding to two USDA programs. The Market Access Program, for example, would have its funding increased to $400 million per year. This program helps trade groups and small businesses “to share the costs of overseas marketing and promotion activities that help build commercial export markets for U.S. agricultural products and commodities.” The other program the SMART Act would benefit is the Foreign Market Development Program.

The law would increase funding for this program to $69 million per year. The Foreign Market Development Program “helps create, expand and maintain long-term export markets for U.S. agricultural products.”