The Agriculture Department's Market Access Program showers some of America's wealthiest companies with funds to promote their products overseas. The MAP enjoys a budget of $85 million a year, but the General Accounting Office says its activities are essentially inconsequential to U.S. food exports.

• In 1995, MAP gave $500,000 to Tyson Foods, $730,000 to Welch Foods and $42,000 to Pepperidge Farms.

• Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. got $308,000 from taxpayers, Campbell Soup Co. got $281,000 and the beef jerky company High Mountain Jerky Inc. grabbed $14,000.

• Among associations, $500,000 landed in the lap of the Popcorn Institute, the Mohair Council cuddled up under a $75,000 grant, the U.S. Meat Export Federation sliced off an $8.4 million chunk and the California Wine Institute guzzled $3 million.

The MAP even spends some of its funds soliciting food companies to request grants for some of its free money. "Is this a government program," asks MAP foe Rep. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), "or is this a Publisher's Clearing House contest?"