Stakeholder Notice: USDA Supports U.S. Specialty Crop Exporters and Science-based International Trade Standards

Washington, D.C., September 21, 2026 - Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) announced new awards under the Assisting Specialty Crop Exports (ASCE) initiative, a USDA partnership with growers that addresses non-tariff trade barriers facing U.S. specialty crops. The latest awards address priority issues for American exporters by improving global standards and increasing market access:

• A $10 million, five-year partnership with the IR-4 Project at North Carolina State University to generate Codex-ready residue data and advance residue-mitigation research, strengthening market access for U.S. specialty crops.
• A $3 million grant to support the Codex Alimentarius Commission at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in developing maximum residue limits (MRLs), which are essential to facilitating global trade.
• A $500,000 project with Bryant Christie, Inc., will develop a comprehensive analysis to provide U.S. agricultural producers with clearer insight into biopesticide regulatory and residue requirements in foreign markets.

More information about FAS's support to specialty crop growers can be found on the website: https://www.fas.usda.gov/programs/assisting-specialty-crop-exports-asce-initiative

###

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.