Specialty Crops

USDA offers a variety of programs and services to support specialty crops businesses of all sizes and across the supply chain. Information can be found at:

USDA Specialty Crops Resources

As part of USDA's commitment to supporting the U.S. specialty crops industry, FAS launched a new Assisting Specialty Crop Exports (ASCE) initiative in 2024. Details are available below, under "Programs."

Programs

Supports efforts by the specialty crops industry to address non-tariff trade barriers when opening or expanding export markets.
Funds projects that address sanitary, phytosanitary and technical barriers that prohibit or threaten the export of U.S. specialty crops.
Provides cooperator organizations with cost-share funding for activities that build international demand for U.S. agricultural commodities.
Helps finance activities to market and promote U.S. agricultural commodities and products worldwide.
Provides funding for projects that enable exporters to break into new markets and increase market share in growth markets.

Data and Analysis

Since USDA first established a stand-alone mission area focusing on trade and international affairs in 2017, USDA’s Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs and the Foreign Agricultural Service, have made significant trade policy advances to support U.S. agriculture. This series of commodity fact sheets highlights the many recent trade policy advances achieved by USDA.
Attaché Report (GAIN)

Japan: USJTA TRQ Allocation and Fill Rates in JFY2023

The U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement, which entered into force on January 1, 2020, improved market access for U.S. products through the creation of tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) for food wheat, wheat products, malt, processed cheese, whey, glucose and fructose, potato starch, corn starch, and inulin.
Major specialty crops exported from the United States to the People’s Republic of China in 2023 include tree nuts ($1.2 billion), fresh fruit ($86 million), processed fruit ($70 million) and processed vegetables ($35 million).

News and Features

U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Alexis M. Taylor announced today that USDA has awarded more than $25 million to support eight projects under the new Assisting Specialty Crop Exports (ASCE) initiative.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced appointments to the newly established Seasonal and Perishable Agricultural Products Advisory Committee.
U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Alexis M. Taylor today announced the availability of funding for the first five projects under the new Assisting Specialty Crop Exports (ASCE) initiative.

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