USDA Foreign Agricultural Service

Name

USDA Foreign Agricultural Service

Legal name

USDA Foreign Agricultural Service

Website

https://fas.usda.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

1930

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Agricultural Trade Services

NAICS

Regulation of Agricultural Marketing and Commodities (92614)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Supply Chain, Marketing & Contracting Advisory (Grain/Livestock Marketing) (AFACAJAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Import/Export & Border Compliance Support (FSVP, Prior Notice, Health Certificates) (AFALADAE), Farm Technology Enablement & Data Integration Advisory (FMIS/ERP, IoT, Decision Support) (AFACAJAG)

Keywords

• Agricultural trade promotion
• Export market development
• Agricultural market intelligence
• Commodity trade data
• Food assistance programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Market Development Programs: FAS administers trade promotion programs including Market Access Program (MAP), Foreign Market Development Program (FMD), Emerging Markets Program (EMP), and Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops (TASC) that provide cost-share funding to U.S. agricultural exporters.
2. Export Credit Guarantees: FAS provides export credit guarantee programs (GSM-102) that guarantee repayment when U.S. banks extend credit to foreign banks to finance sales of U.S. agricultural products.
3. Food Assistance Programs: FAS administers food aid programs including Food for Peace and Food for Progress that purchase U.S. agricultural commodities for emergency assistance and development programs worldwide.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) links U.S. agriculture to global markets through market intelligence, trade promotion, export credit guarantees, and food assistance programs. The agency operates data platforms such as the Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN), Global Agricultural Trade System (GATS), Production Supply and Distribution Online (PS&D), and an Open Data Services API, while sponsoring trade missions and administering market development programs (MAP, FMD, EMP, TASC) for U.S. agricultural exporters and partners.

Product overview

The USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) operates as a comprehensive agricultural trade intelligence and market development agency. Its core offerings include multiple data and analytics platforms: the Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN) for market intelligence, the Global Agricultural Trade System (GATS) for trade data, Production Supply and Distribution Online (PS&D) for commodity forecasting, and the Export Sales Query System for weekly export tracking. These are complemented by a suite of World Markets and Trade analytical reports covering commodities like dairy, coffee, grains, oilseeds, and cotton. FAS also administers market development programs including MAP, FMD, EMP, and TASC to support U.S. agricultural exporters. The agency coordinates international trade missions and manages food assistance programs like Food for Peace. The portfolio functions as a platform of interconnected data services, reports, and export facilitation programs designed to enhance U.S. agricultural trade opportunities globally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN)

Quantifiable outcome

• Every $1.00 of U.S. agricultural exports generates $2.09 of domestic economic activity
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Mexican Rice CouncilcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 28 July 2026USA Rice trade mission to Mexico participated in a trade seminar alongside USDA FAS, Mexican Rice Council, and Mexican importers to reinforce customer relationships and gain insight into the export market.
• Catholic Relief ServicesmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 July 2026USDA FAS announced agreement with Catholic Relief Services to deliver up to $235 million in emergency food and nutrition assistance to Sudan and Ethiopia. Catholic Relief Services' operational footprint in East Africa will be leveraged, including the Sudan Emergency Project and Joint Emergency Operation in Ethiopia.
• International Fresh Produce AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 April 2026FAS invested $5 million in the 2026 IFPA Packaging Innovation Program supporting Natur-Tec and six other companies to develop packaging solutions that extend shelf life, reduce food loss and waste, and help U.S. specialty crop exporters comply with global regulations.
• Center for Agribusiness & Rural DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 April 2026FAS awarded an agreement to the Center for Agribusiness & Rural Development to increase U.S. agricultural exports to Armenia, projected to generate $4.6 million in additional exports to the country's 3 million consumers.
• U.S. Agricultural Industry CooperatorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFAS partners with more than 70 cooperator groups representing a cross-section of the U.S. food and agricultural industry for market development activities.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Broad incumbents

• Export-Import Bank of the United States: The Export-Import Bank (EXIM) provides export financing and credit guarantees for U.S. exporters across all industries. While not agriculture-specific, it operates export credit guarantee programs that parallel FAS's GSM-102 program in structure and purpose, making it a comparable federal export-finance agency.
• U.S. Agency for International Development: USAID administers U.S. foreign assistance programs including food security and humanitarian aid, overlapping significantly with FAS's Food for Peace and Food for Progress programs. Both agencies leverage U.S. agricultural commodities for international development and humanitarian objectives through different channels.
• U.S. International Trade Administration: The International Trade Administration (ITA), part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, promotes U.S. exports across all industries (not just agriculture) through a global network of commercial officers. It provides overlapping trade promotion capabilities with FAS but lacks FAS's commodity-specific depth and cooperator-funded model.

Regional players

• New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries: New Zealand's MPI is responsible for agricultural trade promotion, biosecurity, and food safety for primary industries in the Pacific region. It operates comparable market access and trade negotiation functions to FAS, though focused on a smaller export base from a different geographic region.

Direct peers

• Brazil Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock: Brazil's Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Ministério da Agricultura e Pecuária) leads agricultural trade promotion for one of the world's largest agricultural exporters. It competes with FAS directly in commodity markets (soybeans, corn, beef) and operates comparable export credit and market development programs.
• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations: FAO is the UN specialized agency for international agricultural development, food security, and agricultural statistics. While its mandate is global rather than U.S.-focused, its parallel mission of agricultural market intelligence (FAOSTAT), trade policy work, and food assistance programs aligns with multiple FAS functions.
• Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) is Canada's federal department responsible for agricultural trade promotion, market intelligence, and trade negotiations. It operates the closest functional analog to FAS, including export market development programs and a global network of agricultural offices, making it the most directly comparable peer.
• Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry: Australia's Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry administers agricultural trade promotion, market access negotiations, and biosecurity policy for Australia, a major agricultural exporting nation. It is structurally analogous to FAS in scope and execution.
• UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: DEFRA is the UK government department responsible for agricultural policy, trade promotion, and international market access for British agricultural products. It shares FAS's mandate of linking domestic agriculture to international markets and operating market access programs.
• European Commission DG AGRI: DG AGRI is the European Commission's Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, responsible for EU agricultural policy, trade promotion, and market access. It functions as the EU-level equivalent of FAS for the bloc's 27 member states.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments5 records

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Frequently asked questions about USDA Foreign Agricultural Service