FAEA's approach includes four main categories of activities known as MICA:

 

Management and Administration:

FAEA Staff: Comprising three dedicated members who manage daily operations.

• Executive Director (ED): Leads the management and implementation of FAEA strategies and activities.

• Program Coordinator (PC): Assists in administrative and programmatic functions.

• Director of Codex and Global Affairs: Focuses on the execution of Codex-related strategies and initiatives.

• USGC Staff: Supports day-to-day administrative tasks and acts as a liaison with the Foreign Agricultural Service.

• FAEA Board Members: Ten board members and two U.S. Grains Council staff provide leadership, set priorities and evaluate organizational performance.
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Information Gathering, Analysis, and Intelligence Sharing:

FAEA leverages its extensive network, including U.S. Government agencies, member staff, and contractors, to collect, analyze, and disseminate critical information. This process helps in influencing foreign legislation and ensuring that new regulations are science-based and do not constitute technical barriers to trade.

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Capacity Building Activities

FAEA allocates resources to build technical capacity in target markets. This involves educating and training regulatory, health, and judicial decision-makers and staff in these countries through workshops and seminars conducted by U.S. experts. Local contractors are also engaged to facilitate these activities and provide timely updates on regulatory changes.

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Advocacy for Codex and Science-Based Standards

FAEA conducts ongoing advocacy to support U.S. positions on international standards, such as those set by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, OIE, and IPPC. The alliance sponsors officials to participate in critical Codex meetings and uses its networks to promote standards that facilitate fair trade.