California Ag Network

Tag: USDA export promotion

  • USDA Accepting Applications for Turkey Agribusiness Mission

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) is now accepting applications for its agribusiness trade mission to Istanbul, Turkey, scheduled for May 11–14. U.S. exporters interested in exploring trade opportunities in Turkey, the Caucasus and Central Asia must apply by Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026.

    “With stable economic growth and proven demand for high-quality U.S. food in Turkey and the surrounding region, now is the time for U.S. agribusinesses and producers to take advantage of the momentum that President Trump has been building in trade worldwide,” said USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Luke J. Lindberg. “This trade mission hopes to follow in the successes we’ve had so far under this administration and I’m looking forward to connecting U.S. exporters with key buyers to forge partnerships and tap into these dynamic markets.”

    The U.S. was Turkey fifth-largest supplier of agricultural products in 2024, while Turkey ranked as the 16th-largest market for U.S. agricultural exports – a figure that has grown roughly 45% since 2020. Total U.S. agricultural product exports to Turkey exceed $1.7 billion, including more than $590 million in retail-ready goods like snack and pet foods, fruits, meats and dairy products.

    USDA sees strong opportunities for continuing growth in Turkey and the surrounding region, reflecting increasing consumer demand and expanding supply chains for the product groups including:

    • Tree nuts
    • Soybeans
    • Pulses
    • Dried distiller grains and solubles
    • Seafood
    • Poultry
    • Beef and pork
    • Prepared foods, sauces, condiments, sweets and snacks
    • Live animals, livestock genetics, hides and skins
    • Alcoholic beverages, distilled spirits and wine

    Participants will join buyers from Turkey, Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan for targeted business-to-business meetings to discuss market opportunities. FAS staff and regional experts will be on hand to host market briefings, site visits and networking events.

    Visit the application page for more information. The application deadline is Tuesday, Feb. 24. — USDA Foreign Ag Service

    The agribusiness trade mission to Türkiye is one of several USDA-led export promotion initiatives in 2026. USDA will announce application details for planned missions to Australia and Saudia Arabia soon. An additional trade mission to Vietnam will follow later in 2026. To learn more about FAS agribusiness trade missions, visit https://www.fas.usda.gov/topics/trade-missions.

  • California Citrus, Table Grapes & Dairy Well-Represented in Upcoming Trade Mission to Dominican Republic

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture will lead a high-impact trade mission to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, from July 13–17 to expand market access and boost U.S. agricultural exports. The delegation includes 47 agribusinesses, trade organizations, and officials from Colorado, Montana, and Wisconsin departments of agriculture.

    “USDA is committed to growing export opportunities for American farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses,” said Deputy Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Michelle Bekkering, who will lead the mission. “This trade mission will connect U.S. exporters with key buyers, tapping into Latin America’s growing demand for high-quality American agricultural products, supporting rural prosperity and keeping American agricultural products globally competitive.”

    With an expanding middle class, economic growth and a burgeoning hotel and restaurant industry, the Dominican Republic offers U.S. producers a stable and sustainable market in the Caribbean Basin. The country is the fourth-largest market for U.S. agricultural exports in the Western Hemisphere and the top market within the Central America Free Trade Agreement-Dominican Republic (CAFTA-DR) region, which includes Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.

    Thanks to CAFTA-DR, U.S. exports to the Dominican Republic have increased from $800 million in 2007 to $2.2 billion in 2024, with the U.S. currently supplying 44 percent of the country’s agricultural imports, supporting around 15,000 American jobs. Between 2023 and 2024 alone, exports increased 6 percent.

    Participants will meet with buyers from the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Jamaica to gain market insights and forge new partnerships. USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service staff and regional experts will provide in-depth market briefings, site visits and networking events to maximize trade opportunities.

    Other participants include:

    1 Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute – Juneau, Alaska

    2 Boston Agrex LLC – Norwell, Mass.

    3 California Dairies – Visalia, Calif.

    4 California Table Grape Commission – Fresno, Calif.

    5 Colorado Department of Agriculture – Broomfield, Colo.

    6 Darigold Inc – Seattle, Wash.

    7 DoVen Foods LLC – Miami, Fla.

    8 Foodlink Group Inc. – Miami, Fla.

    9 Globex International – New York, N.Y.

    10 Grand Napa Vineyards – Napa, Calif.

    11 Hoogwegt U.S. Inc. – Lake Forest, Ill.

    12 IslandJon North America LLC – Atlanta, Ga.

    13 James Farrell & Co. – Bellevue, Wash.

    14 Lamex Agrifoods Inc. – Miami, Fla.

    15 Lawrence Wholesale LLC – Vernon, Calif.

    16 Leprino – Denver, Colo.

    17 Little Toad Creek LLC – Silver City, N.M.

    18 MacDonald Meat Company – Seattle, Wash.

    19 Merus LLC – Minneapolis, Minn.

    20 Metafoods LLC – Atlanta, Ga.

    21 Old Fashioned Cheese – Mayville, Wis.

    22 Pangea Growers Group – Boca Raton, Fla.

    23 Portal Pacific US – Rocklin, Calif.

    24 Prime International LLC – Logan, Utah

    25 Riceland – Stuttgart, Ark.

    26 Salt River Sisters – Harrodsburg, Ky.

    27 Scout & Zoe’s – Anderson, Ind.

    28 Scratch Food Group – Atlanta, Ga.

    29 SMAA Food Exports LLC – Charlotte, N.C.

    30 Stewco Farms – Bloomfield, Mo.

    31 Supreme Rice – Crowley, La.

    32 Sure Good Foods USA – Atlanta, Ga.

    33 Talmera USA Inc. – Los Angeles, Calif.

    34 Tropical Foods LLC – Miami, Fla.

    35 Trutana Foods – Great Falls, Mont.

    36 U.S. Dairy Export Council – Arlington, Va.

    37 U.S. Grains Council – Washington, D.C.

    38 U.S. Soybean Export Council – Chesterfield, Mo

    39 US Agricom Inc. – Doral, Fla.

    40 US Commodity Food Sales LLC– Doral, Fla.

    41 US Dry Bean Council – Frankenmuth, Mich.

    42 US Rice Producers Association – Katy, Texas

    43 USA Rice – Arlington, Va.

    44 Washington Apple Commission – Wenatchee, Wash.

    45 Western United States Agriculture Trade Association – Vancouver, Wash.

    46 Wisoman Foods Inc. – Hayward, Calif.

    47 Wonderful Citrus – Delano, Calif.

    USDA’s trade mission to the Dominican Republic is part of USDA’s broader 2025 export promotion strategy. So far this year, USDA has led trade missions to Hong Kong, Thailand, Peru, and Guatemala. Missions to Taiwan and Mexico are planned in the coming months.

    For more information on USDA trade missions, visit https://www.fas.usda.gov/topics/trade-missions.