USDA Marks Landmark Year with $8.8 Billion in New Market Opportunities and Global Food Security Gains

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15, 2025 - U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Alexis M. Taylor today highlighted USDA's exceptional achievements in advancing U.S. agricultural exports, fostering market access, and addressing global food insecurity throughout 2024.

"From unlocking new markets to championing food security, 2024 has been a banner year for advancing trade interest for American agriculture," Taylor said. "These accomplishments reflect the hard work and innovation of U.S. farmers and ranchers, as well as USDA's commitment to creating opportunities for their success at home and abroad."

2024 Highlights

Breaking Barriers and Opening New Markets

USDA's and USTR's trade policy and market access efforts in 2024 resulted in:

• Prevailing in the USMCA biotech dispute panel.
• Preserving market access for certain commonly named U.S. meats and cheeses in Chile.
• Opening the South African market for genetically engineered corn.
• Reopening the market for U.S. casings to Canada.
• Ensuring Colombia's reinstatement of a 10 percent ethanol gasoline mandate.
• Resolved product labeling issue with South Korea sustaining exports of beef, pork, eggs, dairy and processed meat.
• Expanding the use of ethanol in the Philippines to E20.
• Securing access for peaches and nectarines to Vietnam.
• Retaining access to the European Union for all U.S. animal products despite new veterinary drug legislation.
• Opening the market in Chile for fresh blueberries.
• Reopening the market for U.S. poultry to Colombia and Angola.

"These successes and numerous others directly benefit American producers," Taylor said. "By collaborating with global partners to reduce barriers, we unlocked access to potential markets worth nearly $8.8 billion that support the U.S. economy and agricultural communities. This is not just a win for our farmers-it is a win for every American who values the strength of our agricultural sector."

Expanding Global Connections

USDA's market development initiatives drove meaningful results:

Hosted seven trade missions across Africa, North and South America, and East and Southeast Asia, connecting U.S. exporters with international buyers through more than 2,750 business-to-business meetings. These efforts generated more than $143 million in projected 12-month sales.

• Organized 20 U.S. food pavilions at international trade shows in 13 countries, enabling 773 U.S. companies to highlight their products. This led to an additional $1.5 billion in projected 12-month sales.
• Facilitated $2.8 billion in credit guarantees through the GSM-102 program, supporting U.S. agricultural exports to Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East.

"Our trade missions and international showcases brought U.S. producers and global buyers together in ways that will yield long-term economic benefits," Taylor said. "These connections build trust, spark innovation, and create lasting opportunities for our agricultural communities."

USDA committed $1.3 billion in October 2023 to expand export promotion activities for U.S. agricultural commodities and specialty crops. In May 2024, USDA announced the 66 projects selected to receive $300 million in funding through the Regional Agricultural Promotion Program (RAPP). In December 2024, USDA announced its plan to allocate an additional $300 million from RAPP to 67 projects once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied. Moreover, USDA launched the Assisting Specialty Crop Exports (ASCE) initiative in January 2024. ASCE is funded through a $100 million carve out from RAPP. The department announced the first eight projects selected to receive ASCE funding totaling $25 million in October 2024.

Strengthening Global Food Security

In 2024, through its Food for Progress Program, USDA invested $218.5 million to utilize 315,000 metric tons of U.S. commodities in seven new projects in Benin, Cambodia, Madagascar, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Tanzania and Tunisia. These projects aim to strengthen food security by increasing agricultural productivity, improving trade-enabling environments through sanitary and phytosanitary measures, and promoting climate-smart agriculture.

The program also awarded $45.5 million in additional funding to seven existing projects, utilizing 140,750 metric tons of U.S. commodities to build on current successes. In total, Food for Progress invested $264 million in FY 2024, expanding its reach to more than 40 countries and promoting trade-enabling agricultural development while strengthening long-term food security globally.

The McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program continues to play a vital role in promoting global food security and education. In 2024, USDA allocated $248 million to support projects in nine countries, providing school meals, improving literacy, and enhancing primary education, particularly for girls. These initiatives benefited approximately 1.2 million children and their families in over 2,800 schools, demonstrating the program's profound impact on communities worldwide.

USDA championed the interests of U.S. agricultural stakeholders in international fora, including the Codex Alimentarius Commission, a global body that establishes food safety and quality standards. The collaborative efforts of the U.S. Codex Office and U.S. stakeholders contributed to the adoption of approximately 900 new and revised Codex standards, guidelines, and codes of practice. These included crucial updates on pesticides, food additives, labeling, and quality standards for commodities. By advancing international standards, USDA has helped create a more accessible and equitable global marketplace for U.S. producers while enhancing consumer confidence in the safety and quality of food worldwide.

Providing Critical Insights for Stakeholders

In 2024, USDA delivered essential data and analysis through:

• More than 2,000 Global Agricultural Information Network reports on crop production, import requirements, and market conditions.
• Monthly trade spotlights and dashboards offering dynamic insights into global trade developments.
• The monthly World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE), World Agricultural Productions reports, and Commodity Circulars that support transparency in global agricultural markets.

"We are proud of what we have accomplished, but we remain focused on building towards the future," Taylor said. "We are committed to finding new opportunities and bringing the best of U.S. agriculture to consumers around the world. The future of American agriculture is bright, and we are excited to keep moving forward."

To learn more about these achievements, view the Biden-Harris Administration Advances Agricultural Exports in Support of the U.S. Economy fact sheet.

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. Under the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America's food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, and building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate-smart food and forestry practices. USDA is making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit USDA.gov.

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