USDA Opens Application Period for 2025 America First Trade Promotion Program
With a renewed focus on strengthening agricultural trade deals over the past few months, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins officially announced the 2025 America First Trade Promotion Program (AFTPP) earlier this year. The program is now fully open for applications following congressional authorization of $285 million to expand agricultural trade, marketing, and international market access.
The AFTPP is part of a broader push to grow U.S. agricultural exports, enhance competitiveness abroad, and support producers seeking new customers in emerging markets. Organizations across the agricultural sector—including trade associations, cooperatives, and export-focused groups—are moving quickly to submit applications.
One of the first major organizations to complete its application is the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). USMEF President and CEO Dan Hallstrom expressed strong support for the initiative, emphasizing the program’s importance for global market expansion.
Hallstrom noted, “This is another effort by the administration to really focus on agricultural export market development. So we’re very appreciative about the opportunity to put an application in. Like I said, it was just released here in the last few days and this will be 2026 to the 2028 marketing year where we’ll be able to implement these programs.”
Expanded Market Opportunities Ahead
According to Hallstrom, the new program opens doors in regions that previously lacked funding flexibility. He highlighted the significance of expanded eligibility, stating, “Most of the world is available to invest in, including Mexico, which was not included in some of the previous programs. So I really think the efforts put forth to maximize the potential expansion of markets outside the U.S., the international market expansion, a real focus of the Trump administration and you look across all the whole agricultural chain that there’s a lot of business to be had.”
Hallstrom says this initiative demonstrates USDA’s commitment to the agricultural sector, adding, “This is another example of USDA really supporting American agriculture and the fact that they’re back from their shutdown. The support of USDA, FAS in particular, has just been phenomenal and we [give] a real good shout out to these folks for their support.”
As applications move forward, the AFTPP is expected to play a pivotal role in helping U.S. producers reach new markets and strengthen existing trade relationships.
Audio Reporting by Dale Sandlin for Southeast AgNet.