California Ag Network

Tag: rural prosperity initiatives

  • $8.3 Million to Address Trade Barriers and Expand Market Access for Specialty Crops

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced it is awarding $8.3 million in funding to help 11 U.S. recipients address trade barriers and expand international market access for U.S. specialty crops.

    The funding is provided through USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service, which manages the Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops (TASC) program. TASC helps U.S. specialty crop producers combat trade barriers, as well as promote and sell their goods internationally.

    “Our market development programs are bringing the bounty of American agriculture to people around the world, helping millions of hardworking American farmers, ranchers, and producers connect their safe, high-quality products with growing export markets,” said Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Under Secretary Luke J. Lindberg. “Not only does TASC provide the tools they need to overcome technical obstacles, it also chips away at the nearly $50 billion Biden-era agricultural trade deficit which has held back rural America for far too long.”

    Through TASC and similar programs, USDA partners with non-profit U.S. agricultural trade associations, farmer cooperatives, non-profit state-regional trade groups, state agencies, and small businesses to expand market access and conduct overseas marketing and promotional activities on behalf of U.S. agricultural producers and processors.

    The USDA market development programs return an estimated $24.50 for every dollar invested.

    The TASC program makes $9 million available annually to fund projects that address sanitary, phytosanitary, and technical barriers that prohibit or threaten the export of U.S. specialty crops.

    The full list of FY2025 recipients and details about the program is available at: https://www.fas.usda.gov/programs/technical-assistance-specialty-crops-tasc.

  • USDA Reveals 3-Point Plan to Support U.S. Farmers, Ranchers and Exporters

    Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke L. Rollins and Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs, Luke J. Lindberg, has announced an aggressive three-point plan that will support American agricultural producers and exporters.

    “President Trump is putting American agriculture first by negotiating fair, reciprocal deals that benefit U.S. producers, farmers, and ranchers,” said Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Luke J. Lindberg. “Secretary Rollins is focused on expanding market access, enforcing trade commitments, and boosting rural prosperity. Market promotion support, rapid response to reciprocal trade agreements, and better financing programs will translate to progress in chipping away at the $50 billion agricultural deficit.”

    The three-point plan was announced during remarks at the annual meeting of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture.

    America First Trade Promotion Program

    The One Big Beautiful Bill Act authorized an additional $285 million per year for trade promotion programs beginning in fiscal year 2027. USDA will kickstart that program one year early with $285 million in FY26 and launch the American First Trade Promotion Program.

    T.R.U.M.P. Missions (Trade Reciprocity for U.S. Manufacturers and Producers).

    USDA will launch a new model of trade missions — as a supplement the current model — targeting reciprocal trade deal countries and new market access opportunities. The focus of these will be determined country-by-country to maximize high-return, low-risk agricultural export prospects and connect buyers and sellers.

    Revitalize export finance opportunities

    The GSM-102 credit guarantee program is authorized to offset $5.5 billion in market risk for purchasers of American commodities. Currently, the program has only $2 billion in liabilities on its books. USDA will reinvigorate this program to ensure it is best aligned to facilitate American exports to new markets. The GSM-102 program provides credit guarantees to encourage financing of commercial exports of U.S. agricultural products. By reducing financial risk to lenders, credit guarantees encourage exports to buyers in countries that have sufficient financial strength to have foreign exchange available for scheduled payments.

    “Advancing these programs, as supplements to our existing programs, ensures the health, prosperity, and security of rural America, our farmers, ranchers and producers,” said Lindberg. “Restoring the United States to the Golden Age of the American farmer is an exciting journey and will once again culminate in our status as the breadbasket to the world.”