About USAEDC
The U.S. Agricultural Export Development Council (USAEDC) is a nonprofit trade association that serves as a vital bridge between the U.S. agricultural industry and the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Established in 1983, USAEDC facilitates communication,
coordination, and collaboration among its members and government partners to advance U.S. agricultural exports. As a membership-based organization representing more than 100 U.S. agricultural trade associations, farmer cooperatives, and state and regional groups, USAEDC fosters a strong community focused on international market development. The organization helps members understand and fully leverage USDA FAS funding opportunities, address shared challenges, and present a unified voice when working with USDA FAS. Through this collaboration, USAEDC highlights the value and impact of market development programs that support the growth of U.S. agricultural exports.
Our Mission:
Facilitate the USDA/Cooperator public-private partnership to preserve, differentiate, and expand American agricultural exports.
Our Vision:
Ensure USAEDC members are recognized as the world's best suppliers of agriculturally based products.
History
The U.S. Agricultural Export Development Council (USAEDC) has its roots in a visionary public-private partnership that began in the mid-20th century. In 1955, one of USAEDC’s founding members signed the first cooperative agreement with the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) to promote U.S. agricultural commodities worldwide. This marked the beginning of a coordinated effort to expand U.S. farm markets overseas.
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The foundation for this partnership was laid by the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954 (P.L. 480), which recognized that U.S. agriculture could produce far more than domestic consumption required. Congress saw an opportunity to share this abundance with the world, and the USDA responded by initiating market development programs in collaboration with nonprofit agricultural producer associations.
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Over the decades, these cooperators—nonprofit organizations representing U.S. farmers and agricultural sectors—worked hand-in-hand with FAS to develop foreign markets. Their efforts were bolstered by the introduction of additional programs like the Targeted Export Assistance (TEA) in 1986, which evolved into the Market Promotion Program (MPP) and eventually the Market Access Program (MAP) we know today.
As the scope and impact of these programs grew, so did the need for a unified voice. In 1980, cooperators formalized their collaboration by establishing a permanent office to serve both members and FAS. This led to the official incorporation of USAEDC on October 31, 1983, in Washington, D.C.
Today, USAEDC represents approximately 100 member organizations, continuing its mission to support U.S. agricultural exports through strategic partnerships, advocacy, and coordination with government agencies. What began as a small group of visionary cooperators has grown into a robust council that plays a pivotal role in promoting U.S. agriculture around the world
Our Guiding Principles
Member Driven
We exist to represent our members’ diverse interests and needs, maximize member engagement, and leverage our members’ unique talents and contributions.
Stewardship
We promote and support our members’ recognition as stewards of environmentally and economically sustainable agriculture and processing.
Collaboration
We maximize opportunities for our members, USDA, and industry partners to create and sustain thriving relationships through connection, collaboration, and knowledge sharing to advance U.S. agricultural exports.
Focus
We create broad impact by focusing on our core mission and navigating the complexities of our industry with a long-term view.
Collective Voice
We unify and amplify the voice of our membership to advance U.S. agricultural exports. Our impact is made possible through the power of our collective voice.