The Cochran Fellowship Program provides short-term training opportunities to agricultural professionals from middle-income countries, emerging markets, and emerging democracies. The goals are:
- to help eligible countries develop agricultural systems necessary to meet the food and fiber needs of their domestic populations; and
- to strengthen and enhance trade linkages between eligible countries and agricultural interests in the United States.
Approximately 600 Cochran fellows come to the United States each year, generally for 2-3 weeks, to work with U.S. universities, government agencies, and private companies. They receive hands-on training to enhance their technical knowledge and skills in areas related to agricultural trade, agribusiness development, management, policy, and marketing. USDA announces eligible countries and topics each year based on current trade issues.
https://www.fas.usda.gov/programs/cochran-fellowship-program
The Borlaug International Agricultural Science and Technology Fellowship Program promotes food security and economic growth by providing training and collaborative research opportunities to fellows from developing and middle-income countries.
Borlaug fellows are generally scientists, researchers, or policymakers who are in the early or middle stages of their careers. Each fellow works one-on-one with a mentor at a U.S. university, research center or government agency, usually for 8-12 weeks. The U.S. mentor will later visit the fellow’s home institution to continue collaboration. Fellows may also attend professional conferences and events within their field, such as the annual World Food Prize Symposium.
https://www.fas.usda.gov/programs/borlaug-fellowship-program
The QSP enables potential customers around the world to discover the quality and benefits of U.S. agricultural products. The program focuses on processors and manufacturers rather than consumers, and QSP projects should benefit an entire industry or commodity rather than a specific company or product. Projects should focus on developing a new market or promoting a new use for the U.S. product.
QSP participants obtain commodity samples, export them and provide the recipient with guidance on how to use the samples. When a project is finished, USDA reimburses the participant for the costs of procuring and transporting the sample. Although all program participants are required to provide technical assistance to the recipients of their commodity samples, the costs for this assistance are not reimbursable.
Any U.S. private or government entity with an interest in exporting U.S. agricultural products may apply to the program. Each year, FAS announces the QSP application period and criteria in the Federal Register. Applicants submit QSP proposals through the Unified Export Strategy (UES) process, which allows eligible organizations to request funding from multiple USDA market development programs through a single, strategically coordinated proposal.
FAS sponsored international trade missions open doors and delivers results for U.S. exporters, giving them the opportunity to forge relationships with potential customers, gather market intelligence and, most importantly, generate sales.
Each year, FAS endorses the trade shows that will provide the best international exposure and marketing opportunities for the U.S. companies and producers.
FAS works with show organizers and other partners to create a “SA Pavillion” to showcase the variety of quality made-in- America products to potential foreign buyers. FAS also provides participating companies with marketing and promotional services, market intelligence, logistical support, and on-site assistance.
The Agricultural Trade Promotion Program (ATP) will help U.S. agricultural exporters develop new markets and will help mitigate the adverse effects of other countries’ tariff and non-tariff barriers. The ATP provides cost-share assistance to eligible U.S. organizations for activities such as consumer advertising, public relations, point-of-sale demonstrations, participation in trade fairs and exhibits, market research, and technical assistance. The ATP is available to all sectors of U.S. agriculture, including fish and forest product producers, mainly through partnerships with non-profit national and regional organizations. FAS administers the ATP under authorities of the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act.
ATP Regulations
Applying
For application instructions or to read the full 2019 Notice of Funding Opportunity, please go directly to the Food Aid Information System (FAIS)
The application deadline is May 29, 2019
Fiscal Year 2019 Priority Countries
Burkina Faso
Cambodia
Liberia
Nepal
Nicaragua
The International Agricultural Education Fellowship Program will provide fellowships to eligible U.S. citizens to assist developing countries in establishing school-based agricultural education and youth extension programs.
The program was created by Congress in the 2018 Farm Bill to:
- Develop globally minded United States agriculturists with experience living abroad;
- Help meet the food and fiber needs of the domestic population of eligible countries; and
- Strengthen and enhance trade linkages between eligible countries and the United States agricultural industry.
Candidates must hold a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in an agriculture-related field and must understand U.S. school-based agricultural education and youth extension programs.
The Embassy Science Fellows Program places USDA scientists at American embassies overseas to provide expertise, advice, and assistance with issues relating to the environment, science, technology, and health. Since the program’s inception in 2002, FAS has sponsored more than 40 fellows in 25 countries to work in areas of strategic importance to USDA, including trade capacity building, biotechnology, food safety, animal health, and sanitary/phytosanitary issues.
The Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust makes funds available to provide emergency humanitarian food assistance to developing countries. When a food crisis arises and food aid is not available from other U.S. government programs, the Secretary of Agriculture may authorize the release of funds from the trust in order to quickly meet immediate needs. Cash in the trust provides the U.S. government with the flexibility to purchase appropriate U.S. commodities based on availability and specific needs.
The Scientific Cooperation Exchange Program supports collaborative relationships between teams of scientific and technical experts from the United States and the People’s Republic of China. Since 1979, the program has facilitated exchanges for more than 3,000 participants on topics including food safety and security, animal and plant health, and agricultural biotechnology and emerging technologies. The program helps to promote U.S. agricultural priorities, encourage long-term cooperation in agricultural science and technology, create a positive atmosphere for agricultural trade, and enhance overall relations between the United States and China. By helping U.S. and Chinese companies understand each others’ products and needs, the program provides an avenue through which U.S. agricultural exports can play a role in the burgeoning Chinese economy.
The Scientific Cooperation Research Program supports joint research, extension, and education projects — lasting up to two years — between U.S. researchers and researchers from selected emerging market economies. The projects address issues including agricultural trade and market access, animal and plant health, biotechnology, food safety and security, and sustainable natural resource management. Since 1980, the program has supported more than 400 projects with approximately 95 partnering countries, enhancing the technical skills of more than 1,000 agricultural professionals and helping beneficiary countries to be more competitive consumers of U.S. agricultural products.
Applying
New to the Program? Start by submitting the Exporter Qualification Application
Program Parameters
Participants are advised to note the following program parameters and limitations that are referenced in 7 CFR 1493 subpart C.
- Maximum tenor: 10 years
- Maximum guarantee coverage (principal): 100% (after deduction of the initial payment)
- Initial payment percentage: 15%
- Eligible local costs percentage: up to 30%
- Eligible interest: the lesser of (1) the interest rate specified between the U.S. financial institution (or seller) and the foreign financial institution; or (2) 80 percent of the average investment rate of the most recent 52-week Treasury bill auction as announced by the Department of Treasury prior to the date the eligible interest rate is established or adjusted. For a given contractual event, the interest rate used to calculate eligible interest will be established as of the date of performance and remain in effect through the first interest and/or principal due date. CCC will adjust that rate as of each interest and/or principal due date. The adjusted rate shall take effect on the day after an interest and/or principal due date and remain in effect though the next interest and/or principal due date. [Note: In the event of any discrepancy between this website and the payment guarantee, the language on the payment guarantee shall prevail.]