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.
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
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service has launched the $10 million Sustainable Packaging Innovation Lab as part of the Assisting Specialty Crop Exports initiative. The application period is open for this new funding opportunity, and awards will range from $50,000 to $250,000 for research, scale, and commercialization applications that support U.S. exporters through innovative packaging solutions.
For many American farms, the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree. The Robison and Stennes family orchards combined equal more than 200 years of growing apples in Washington. Both family farms view the recent trade win of India reopening its market to U.S. apples as beneficial for apple farmers across Washington.