# USDA Funds Specialty Crop Export Support

The USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) has awarded multiple funding initiatives under the Assisting Specialty Crop Exports (ASCE) program to enhance U.S. specialty crop exporters' competitiveness by addressing international trade barriers and advancing science-based standards. Key awards include a **$10 million** five-year partnership with North Carolina State University's IR-4 Project to generate Codex-ready pesticide residue data and support residue mitigation research, a **$3 million** grant to the Codex Alimentarius Commission at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to develop maximum residue limits (MRLs), and a **$500,000** project awarded to Bryant Christie, Inc. to analyze biopesticide regulatory and residue requirements in foreign markets.

- These awards reflect USDA's strategic focus on facilitating specialty crop exports through scientific research and international regulatory engagement.
- Procurement professionals should note the multi-year, multi-million-dollar nature of these contracts, indicating sustained funding opportunities in agricultural export support and regulatory analysis.
- Contractors specializing in agricultural science, regulatory consulting, and international trade compliance may find relevant opportunities to support USDA's export facilitation efforts.
- The involvement of international bodies like the Food and Agriculture Organization underscores the importance of aligning U.S. export standards with global trade frameworks.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Energy & Utilities
**Topics:** Grants & Funding
**Published:** September 22, 2026

### Government Entities
- U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS)
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

### Vendors
- Bryant Christie, Inc. (awardee)

### Sources
- [Stakeholder Notice: USDA Supports U.S. Specialty Crop Exporters and Science-based International Trade Standards | USDA Foreign Agricultural Service](https://www.fas.usda.gov/newsroom/stakeholder-notice-usda-supports-us-specialty-crop-exporters-and-science-based-0) - FAS