USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA-FAS) announced additional support for U.S. farmers and producers through the America First Trade Promotion Program (AFTTP) to help expand export markets for U.S. food and agricultural products. Starting in fiscal year 2027, USDA will have an additional $285 million annually in supplemental funding that it will use to support flagship USDA-FAS market development programs like the Market Access Program and Foreign Market Development Program.  

“USDA’s market development programs have a proven record of delivering for our farmers, ranchers and producers,” said Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Luke J. Lindberg. 

One of USDA’s top priorities is creating new and better market opportunities for producers. This includes strengthening U.S. agriculture’s presence in existing markets and opening new market opportunities by ensuring that high-quality U.S. agricultural and food products reach all corners of the world. AFTPP provides the funding necessary to capitalize on the negotiated agreements with trading partners through increased market opportunities.
 
USDA-FAS will provide funding to 55 nonprofit organizations and cooperatives through AFTPP. The list of awardees for the AFTPP can be found at https://www.fas.usda.gov/programs/america-first-trade-promotion-program/aftpp-fy-2026-funding-allocations.

To learn more about AFTPP and other USDA-FAS programs, visit www.fas.usda.gov/programs.  

Source: USDA-FAS Newsroom, April 16, 2026

USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service announced more than $8.4 million in funding through 3 proven programs: Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops (TASC) program, Emerging Markets Program (EMP), and Quality Samples Program (QSP). All 3 programs help deliver measurable results for U.S. farmers, ranchers, and producers by reducing technical trade barriers, opening new markets, and meeting a growing international demand for high-quality U.S. agricultural products. “These programs drive growth for U.S. agricultural exports, giving American farmers and ranchers the tools they need to break through unnecessary trade barriers and explore new markets,” said Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Luke J. Lindberg.

USDA will award:

• $3.5 million through TASC to 9 U.S. recipients to address sanitary, phytosanitary, or technical barriers that limit or threaten the export of U.S. specialty crops. Projects include pre-clearance programs, workshops, field visits, study tours, and pest and disease research.
• $3.8 million through EMP to 16 U.S. recipients working to expand access to emerging markets and advance market development. Funding supports market assessments, subsistence travel and technical assistance to promote long-term export growth.
• $1.1 million through QSP to 8 U.S. recipients to provide samples of U.S. agricultural products to potential overseas buyers. Buyers can test these samples to confirm their high quality and performance, leading to increased commercial demand for U.S. goods.

This is only the initial tranche of funding for TASC, EMP, and QSP. USDA-FAS expects to award 3 more tranches in FY 2026.

To learn more about these and other USDA-FAS programs, visit fas.usda.gov/programs.

Source: USDA-FAS Newsroom, April 2, 2026