Assisting Specialty Crop Exports: APEC Import MRL Guidelines Implementation Program | USDA FAS 10621 0750 10 24 0003

Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA FAS 10621 0750 10 24 0003

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), through its Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) and the Trade and Regulatory Capacity Building office, is offering a discretionary grant opportunity titled "Assisting Specialty Crop Exports: APEC Import MRL Guidelines Implementation Program." The core purpose of this opportunity is to support the Assisting Specialty Crop Exports (ASCE) Initiative, which is designed to help expand and protect export opportunities for U.S. specialty crops in both existing and emerging foreign markets. In practical terms, the program is aimed at reducing trade barriers and smoothing market access challenges that can limit the ability of U.S. growers and exporters to sell specialty crop products abroad.

A central focus of this specific ASCE activity is implementation of APEC import MRL guidelines. "MRL" refers to maximum residue limits, which are regulatory thresholds used by importing countries to determine acceptable pesticide residue levels on food products. Differences in MRL standards across countries can create significant complications for exporters, including shipment delays, rejected consignments, added compliance costs, and uncertainty for growers trying to meet varying requirements. By supporting work tied to APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) import MRL guidelines, the program is positioned to strengthen regulatory cooperation and technical alignment in ways that make it easier for U.S. specialty crops to meet destination country requirements and move through import controls more predictably. The broader trade impact is improved market access, fewer avoidable regulatory disruptions, and increased confidence among buyers and supply chains in target markets.

The funding instrument for this opportunity is a cooperative agreement, which typically means the federal agency expects to have substantial involvement during the life of the project rather than acting only as a pass-through funder. Projects funded under cooperative agreements often involve coordination with the agency on work planning, deliverables, reporting, and alignment with program objectives. The opportunity falls under the Agriculture funding activity category and is listed under CFDA number 10.621, reflecting its placement within USDA assistance programming.

This announcement anticipates making a single award, with an award ceiling of $3,000,000. That structure suggests the agency is looking for one lead implementer capable of managing a relatively large, coordinated effort, potentially including multiple activities, partners, or country-focused components under one unified project plan. The official opportunity number is USDA FAS 10621 0750 10 24 0003, and the original application closing date is July 17, 2024. The opportunity record shows a creation date of May 17, 2024, indicating when the notice was formally posted.

Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others," with the notice directing applicants to Section C of the full funding opportunity announcement for the definitive eligibility rules. In many federal opportunities, that section spells out which organization types may apply (for example, nonprofit organizations, universities, industry associations, or other entities) and may include additional requirements related to demonstrated expertise, geographic scope, partnerships, or prior experience managing federally funded projects. Because eligibility can include specific constraints and documentation requirements, the most important takeaway is that interested applicants should review Section C carefully to confirm they qualify before investing time in a full application.

Overall, this funding opportunity is best understood as a targeted, trade-capacity and regulatory-implementation effort meant to address one of the most persistent technical barriers in agricultural trade: differing import standards for pesticide residues. By advancing implementation of APEC import MRL guidelines, USDA FAS is aiming to make it more straightforward for U.S. specialty crop exporters to comply with foreign regulations and to compete effectively in priority markets across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.

• The Foreign Agricultural Service in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Assisting Specialty Crop Exports: APEC Import MRL Guidelines Implementation Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.621.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-05-17.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-07-17. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $3,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for USDA FAS 10621 0750 10 24 0003

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