USDA awards funding to help expand export markets for U.S. Agricultural Products

USA Rice Daily 02/2026 - Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture/Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA/FAS) released the 2026 Market Access Program (MAP) and Foreign Market Development (FMD) allocations, with USA Rice receiving more than $5 million. USA Rice is one of just eighteen organizations that receive FMD funds.

“We thank USDA’s Secretary Rollins for recognizing the critical role that the MAP and FMD programs play in supporting the American farmer,” said USA Rice President & CEO Peter Bachmann. “Our farmers are facing significant headwinds this year, but these programs are a tremendous asset in helping them stay competitive.”

In-store promotion greets customers in a supermarket in El Salvador

USA Rice utilizes a combination of state checkoff funds, industry dues, and federal funds to conduct marketing activities aimed at increasing the volume and value of all types and forms of U.S. rice exports in nearly two dozen overseas markets.

“Since half of the U.S. rice crop is exported, it is vital that we are working to maintain and grow these markets for the U.S. rice industry,” said Steve Vargas, senior vice president of global rice trading for Sun Valley Rice and chair of the USA Rice International Promotion Committee. “The MAP and FMD funds are critical in augmenting the funds that the U.S. rice industry puts forth to promote our products. Because of these programs, we’ve seen increases in exports to Japan, Honduras, and the West Bank, among many others.”

USA Rice also received an additional $77,000 on behalf of the U.S. wild rice associations, the California Wild Rice Advisory Board and the Minnesota Cultivated Wild Rice Council, to develop promotional activities for those products as well.