Specialty Crop Trade Council

What Specialty Crop Trade Council does

The Specialty Crop Trade Council (SCTC) is a Fresno, California-based trade association founded in 1925 to serve U.S. dried fruit and tree nut exporters. Operating under the federal Webb-Pomerene Act—which grants antitrust exemption for collective export pricing discussions—SCTC provides members with negotiated ocean freight rates, standardized contract terms, dispute resolution through JAMS ADR, regulatory advocacy, and educational programming. The organization self-describes as "America's most effective organization representing the collective interests of the dried fruit and tree nut industries" and celebrated its 100th anniversary in June 2025 at Oracle Park.

SCTC's core service offering is a member-facing portal delivering negotiated export ocean freight rates covering all worldwide trade lanes via all-water and landbridge services through relationships with multiple steamship lines. Secondary services include JAMS-mediated arbitration enabled by SCTC's standard Contract Terms and Conditions for Dried Fruit, Tree Nuts and Kindred Products, a per-country Exporters Handbook, Incoterms 2020 guidance, government and trade advocacy, and the Export 101 self-paced online training course offering CES/MES and CCS/MCS continuing education credits. The technology footprint is modest: a member portal, a content library, and an LMS-style course. SCTC does not maintain proprietary technology platforms, APIs, or AI/ML capabilities.

SCTC generates revenue primarily through tiered annual membership dues across three categories: Regular Voting (U.S. exporters with full service access), Non-Voting International Associate (overseas companies, workshop access), and Non-Voting Service Associate (carriers, freight forwarders, ports, banks, logistics providers). Pricing is not publicly disclosed and membership applications require submission and approval. With 1–10 employees, the organization relies on industry events (annual Summer Meeting, workshops), a website, member referrals, and an agriculture-focused scholarship program for outreach and member acquisition.

Name

Specialty Crop Trade Council

Legal name

Specialty Crop Trade Council

Website

https://shipsctc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1925

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Specialty Crop Trade Council is a 100-year-old California trade association serving U.S. dried fruit and tree nut exporters with negotiated ocean freight rates, JAMS-backed arbitration, standardized contracts, regulatory advocacy, and educational programming under the Webb-Pomerene Act.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Association Services

NAICS

Regulation of Agricultural Marketing and Commodities (926140)

akta.pro primary industry

Trade Compliance, Standards & Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT/SPS) (BPADAMAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Trade Facilitation, Customs & Border Regulatory Cooperation (BPADANAG)

Keywords

• Export freight rates
• Trade association services
• Arbitration services
• Dried fruit export
• Tree nut export

Headquarters

HQ city

Fresno

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: SCTC generates revenue through tiered membership dues from three membership categories: Regular Voting Membership for US-based exporters, Non-Voting International Associate Membership for overseas companies, and Non-Voting Service Associate Membership for service providers to the industry.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Specialty Crop Trade Council (SCTC) is a trade association that negotiates competitive export ocean freight rates for dried fruit and tree nut exporters through an online member portal covering all worldwide trade lanes. It also provides dispute resolution and arbitration services through JAMS ADR, member advocacy with industry groups and government agencies, and educational resources including workshops, an Export 101 course, and industry publications. The organization operates under the Webb-Pomerene Act, enabling commodity export groups to legally discuss export pricing collectively.

Product overview

The Specialty Crop Trade Council (SCTC) is a trade association offering a suite of services centered around export trade facilitation for the dried fruit and tree nut industries. The core offerings include negotiated export ocean freight rates, dispute resolution and arbitration services through JAMS ADR, member advocacy, educational workshops, and Export 101 online training. SCTC operates under the Webb-Pomerene Act to enable commodity export groups to discuss pricing. The organization provides three tiers of membership—Regular Voting, Non-Voting International Associate, and Non-Voting Service Associate—each with differentiated access to services. The portfolio does not constitute a technology product platform but rather a service-based membership organization focused on trade advocacy and member support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Export Ocean Freight Rates Negotiated competitive export ocean freight rates for dried fruits, tree nuts, and related industries, covering all worldwide trade lanes via water and landbridge services. Members access rates through a user-friendly online portal with multiple carrier options to various destinations.
• Arbitration Services Dispute resolution and arbitration services delivered through JAMS ADR, the largest private alternative dispute resolution provider in the world. SCTC Contract Terms and Conditions for Dried Fruit, Tree Nuts and Kindred Products reference JAMS, enabling members to utilize arbitration when referenced in sales contracts.
• Resources Members receive a comprehensive Exporters Handbook per Country, Contract Terms and Conditions for Dried Fruit, Tree Nuts and Kindred Products, Incoterms 2020 guidance document, and ongoing industry news articles, web publications, and email distributions.
• Member Advocacy Advocacy on behalf of members with industry groups, governmental regulatory agencies, transportation service providers, and agricultural commodity organizations. SCTC maintains daily contact with export trade representatives to keep them informed of industry activities, needs, and issues.
• Educational Workshops The SCTC Summer Meeting and SCTC Workshops provide members opportunities to hear from transportation industry experts and participate in open forums with government agencies, service providers, and industry thought leaders.
• Export 101 Course A four-part, self-paced online course covering export transaction basics, U.S. export regulatory requirements, responsibilities of parties to export transactions, and the forwarder process. Includes 10 credits for CES/MES designees and 5 credits for CCS/MCS designees.
• SCTC Membership Tiered membership program offering Regular Voting Membership for U.S.-based exporters of dried fruit and tree nuts, Non-Voting International Associate Membership for overseas exporters, and Non-Voting Service Associate Membership for service providers to the industry. Includes access to freight rates, arbitration, contract terms, directory listing, Summer Meeting, and workshops.

Quantifiable outcome

• Members have access to competitive ocean freight rates that enable smaller walnut processors to compete with larger packers
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• JAMS ADRcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJAMS is the largest private alternative dispute resolution (ADR) provider in the world, handling SCTC arbitration cases. With nearly 350 neutrals including retired state and federal court judges and attorneys, JAMS offers highly respected arbitrators across more than 25 U.S. locations. SCTC Contract Terms and Conditions enable members to utilize JAMS dispute resolution services.
• Multiple Steamship LinescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSCTC has established relationships with multiple steamship lines, enabling negotiated competitive export ocean freight rates for dried fruits, tree nuts and related industries for authorized members. Rates cover all worldwide trade lanes via water and landbridge services.
• Almond Board of CaliforniaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommodity board listed as a resource for SCTC members. The Almond Board represents almond growers and processors.
• California Walnut BoardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommodity board listed as a resource for SCTC members. The California Walnut Board represents walnut growers and processors.
• American Pecan CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal marketing order representing all U.S. Pecan growers, shellers and accumulators. Listed as a resource and service associate member.
• Port of OaklandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPort authority listed as a service associate member. SCTC members ship through the Port of Oakland, and the Port participates in SCTC events.
• Port of Long BeachminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPort authority listed as a service associate member. SCTC coordinates with the Port for member shipping needs.
• Avalon Risk ManagementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCTC-endorsed insurance provider offering marine cargo insurance, accounts receivable insurance, and credit insurance solutions specifically designed for SCTC members in the dried fruit and nut industry.
• Commodity Boards (Administrative Committee for Pistachios, Almond Board of California, American Pistachio Growers, California Dried Plum Board, California Fig Advisory Board, California Pecan Growers Association, California Raisin Marketing Board, National Pecan Shellers Association, Prune Bargaining Association, Raisin Administrative Committee)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVarious agricultural commodity boards listed as resources for SCTC members, providing industry information and representing specific crop segments.
• Government Agencies (USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, International Trade Administration, Bureau of Industry and Security, Federal Maritime Commission)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agencies listed as resources for export information, trade development, and regulatory compliance.
• Western United States Agricultural Trade Association (WUSATA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional agricultural trade association listed as a resource for international trade development.
• Waren-VereinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman dried fruit and nut trade association. SCTC provides their Conditions of Business Arbitration Rules as a resource.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Blue Diamond Growers: Almond cooperative representing California almond growers and exporters with collective marketing, advocacy, and trade services. Highly comparable to SCTC in serving California tree-nut exporters with a unified industry voice.
• Sunsweet Growers: Cooperative representing dried fruit (prune/dried plum) producers in California. Comparable to SCTC in serving California dried fruit exporters through collective marketing and supply chain coordination.
• Almond Board of California: Federal marketing order board serving California almond industry with research, marketing, and advocacy functions. Comparable to SCTC as a commodity-specific industry organization serving the California tree nut export sector.
• California Walnut Board: Federal marketing order board supporting California walnut growers and exporters with marketing, research, and industry advocacy. Comparable to SCTC as a focused commodity trade organization for California tree-nut exporters.
• American Pistachio Growers: Trade association representing U.S. pistachio growers, shellers, and exporters. Comparable to SCTC in serving a specific tree nut commodity with export-facing services and member advocacy.
• National Pecan Shellers Association: Trade association for pecan shellers and related industry participants with marketing and industry service functions. Comparable to SCTC's focus on U.S. tree nut trade associations serving multi-stakeholder membership.
• California Raisin Marketing Board: California state marketing order supporting raisin growers and exporters with marketing and industry research. Comparable to SCTC in serving California dried fruit export interests through collective industry support.
• California Fig Advisory Board: Industry board supporting California fig producers and exporters with marketing and promotion. Comparable to SCTC's role as a commodity-specific industry support organization for California dried fruit exporters.
• American Pecan Council: Federal marketing order representing U.S. pecan growers, shellers, and accumulators. Comparable to SCTC in serving as a federally-anchored trade association for a U.S. tree nut commodity with export focus.

Regional players

• Waren-Verein (Hamburg): German trade association for dried fruit and nut importers/traders, providing Hamburg-based arbitration and Conditions of Business rules. Comparable to SCTC as a sister industry organization providing arbitration services for the dried fruit and tree nut trade, but operating from the European import side.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SpecialtyCropTradeCouncil
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/specialty-crop-trade-council

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Specialty Crop Trade Council