USDA Foreign Agricultural Service
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1930
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
USDA Foreign Agricultural Service firmographics
Firmographics- 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
USDA Foreign Agricultural Service industry classification
Industry- 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
Where USDA Foreign Agricultural Service is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
USDA Foreign Agricultural Service business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
USDA Foreign Agricultural Service product offering
Product offeringCore 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
Companies that use USDA Foreign Agricultural Service
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
USDA Foreign Agricultural Service technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
USDA Foreign Agricultural Service partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- Mexican Rice CouncilcoreUSA 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 ServicesmajorUSDA 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 AssociationcoreFAS 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 DevelopmentcoreFAS 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 CooperatorscoreFAS 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
USDA Foreign Agricultural Service competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad 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
USDA Foreign Agricultural Service social profiles
Digital presenceUSDA Foreign Agricultural Service financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
USDA Foreign Agricultural Service leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
USDA Foreign Agricultural Service funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
USDA Foreign Agricultural Service M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments5 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about USDA Foreign Agricultural Service
What does USDA Foreign Agricultural Service do?
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.
Is USDA Foreign Agricultural Service a public or private company?
USDA Foreign Agricultural Service is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was USDA Foreign Agricultural Service founded?
USDA Foreign Agricultural Service was founded in 1930. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is USDA Foreign Agricultural Service based?
USDA Foreign Agricultural Service is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
How does USDA Foreign Agricultural Service make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Market Development Programs are the primary driver. The others are export Credit Guarantees and food Assistance Programs.
Who are USDA Foreign Agricultural Service's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Export-Import Bank of the United States, U.S. Agency for International Development and U.S. International Trade Administration. New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries is listed as a regional player. Direct peers are Brazil Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and European Commission DG AGRI.
Does USDA Foreign Agricultural Service have an API?
No public API is recorded for USDA Foreign Agricultural Service.
What industry is USDA Foreign Agricultural Service in?
USDA Foreign Agricultural Service's product category is Government Agricultural Trade Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFACAJAH, Supply Chain, Marketing & Contracting Advisory (Grain/Livestock Marketing), with a secondary code of AFALADAE, Import/Export & Border Compliance Support (FSVP, Prior Notice, Health Certificates). Its NAICS code is 92614 and its SIC code is 700.