Authorized by federal legislation, these programs are designed to strengthen the position of the industry in the marketplace and to maintain and expand domestic and foreign markets. The programs are all fully funded by industry assessments. Board members are nominated by industry and appointed officially by the Secretary of Agriculture. AMS oversees the activities of the boards or councils and approves budgets, in order to assure compliance with the legislation.

Marketing agreements and orders help dairy, fruit, and vegetable producers come together to work at solving marketing problems they cannot solve individually. Marketing orders are flexible tools that can be tailored to the needs of local market conditions for producing and selling. But they are also legal instruments that have the force of law, with USDA ensuring an appropriate balance between the interests of producers looking for a fair price and consumers who expect an adequate, quality supply at a reasonable price.