Offices & Departments
Foreign Agricultural Service
and
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Linking U.S. Agriculture to The World
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FAS also works to improve foreign market access for U.S. products, build new markets, improve the competitive position of U.S. agriculture in the global marketplace.
FAS Dakar provides coverage for Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso and Chad.
USDA Trade Capacity Building and Development
The Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) coordinate to implement agricultural trade capacity building programs in developing countries. USDA programs and activities are designed to build institutions and regulatory frameworks that facilitate trade and create an environment conducive to market-driven agricultural growth.
In identifying trade capacity building priorities, USDA coordinates with the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office, the U.S. Agency for International Development, and the U.S. Department of State. USDA also draws upon technical expertise in the Food and Drug Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, land grant universities, and the private sector.
Activities include U.S. experts providing instruction in other countries, as well as foreign government officials, scientists, or university professors coming to the United States for training. FAS and APHIS training and capacity building programs include:
- Cochran Fellowship Program
- Norman E. Borlaug Fellowships
- West Africa SPS Program
- Avian influenza training and workshops
- U.S. industry technical cooperation
- Biotechnology seminars and exchanges
USDA Food Aid Programs
Under the Food for Progress (FFP) Act of 1985, U.S. agriculture commodities are provided to developing countries and emerging democracies committed to introducing and expanding free enterprise in the agricultural sector.Commodities are currently provided on a donation basis to foreign governments, private voluntary organizations, non-profit organizations, cooperatives, or intergovernmental organizations to fund agricultural development programs.
Recent FFP recipients and priority countries in West Africa include; Senegal, Mali, Guinea, Mauritania, Gambia, Liberia Niger and Sierra Leone.
USDA also funds school feeding programs under the McGovern-Dole School Feeding Program. Recent recipients and priority countries include; Guinea Bissau, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Chad.
Buying U.S. Products
FAS offers a range of services to assist international buyers in locating American suppliers and sourcing products. To access links to the information below, visit www.fas.usda.gov and click on ‘Buying U.S. Products’.
U.S. Suppliers List
This online database includes a list of suppliers of U.S. agricultural products. This is the first stop to find the right match to meet your needs!
Export Directory of U.S. Food Distribution Companies
The Export Directory of U.S. Food Distribution Companies provides a list of U.S. suppliers of mixed containers of grocery products and food service products to potential foreign buyers.
FAS Foreign Buyers List
Join the FAS "Foreign Buyers List"! By registering as an importer, you can receive many of our services and be included in special promotion events.
Trade Shows and Events
Looking for a trade event in the region that features U.S. products? The calendar contains a variety of international promotional activities, from major trade shows to smaller events such as store, hotel and catalog promotions organized by FAS offices overseas. If you're attending a trade show in the United States, annual calendars are available which list food, farm, seafood and forest product trade shows in the U.S.
FAS Overseas Office Directory
FAS operates offices in over 75 countries across the world and provides services for 130 countries.
