The US Department of Agriculture is launching agricultural trade promotion programs for FY 2026 and accepting applications for four export market development programs. USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service opened funding opportunities for the Market Access Program, Foreign Market Development Program, Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops Program and Emerging Markets Program designed to help US agricultural producers promote and sell their goods internationally.

This action follows US Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins’ recent announcement detailing six upcoming international trade trips to promote US agricultural exports. The secretary will visit Vietnam, Japan, India, Peru, Brazil and the United Kingdom.

“Our job at USDA is to open new markets for our farmers, ranchers, and producers. The previous administration left agriculture with a $50 billion trade deficit. President Trump and I will not sit idly by - we are actively working to open new markets and remove existing barriers,” said Secretary Rollins. “We are putting farmers first. These programs are a crucial step in sustaining long lasting economic growth in rural America.”

The application deadline for the four programs is June 6, 2025.

The Market Access Program, at $200 million annually, allocates funds to ag industry organizations across the United States. The average MAP participant provides more than $2.50 in contributions for every $1 in federal funding it receives through the program.

The Foreign Market Development program awards $34.5 million annually to benefit US farmers, processors and exporters by addressing long–term foreign market import constraints and identifying new markets or new uses for US agricultural commodities. FMD recipients, which contribute on average more than $2.50 for every $1 in federal funding they receive through the program, will conduct activities designed to help maintain or increase demand for US agricultural commodities overseas.

The Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops program makes available $9 million annually to fund projects that address sanitary, phytosanitary and technical barriers that prohibit or threaten the export of US specialty crops. The Emerging Markets Program uses $8 million annually to support assessment and technical assistance activities intended to develop, maintain, or expand opportunities for US agricultural exports in emerging markets.

Through these four programs, FAS establishes public-private partnerships with non-profit US agricultural trade associations, farmer cooperatives, nonprofit state-regional trade groups, state agencies and small businesses.

These programs are funded by mandatory statutory funding per the direction of Congress.

Source: USDA