The objective of this agreement is to encourage the development, maintenance, and expansion of commercial export markets for certain united states agricultural commodities and products

The Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service Food for Education awarded a $2.6 million Cooperative Agreement to the California Walnut Commission on April 23, 2026, under the Regional Agricultural Promotion Program (CFDA 10.618) to develop, maintain, and expand commercial export markets for U.S. agricultural commodities and products.

The award funds approved market development activities designed to foster healthy exports and market diversification. The California Walnut Commission will conduct these activities through September 30, 2028, with place of performance in Folsom, California. The Regional Agricultural Promotion Program is a cost-share program that reimburses nonprofit agricultural trade organizations, state regional trade groups, agricultural cooperatives, and state agencies for eligible market development efforts. Awards are evaluated by FAS using criteria detailed in funding announcements posted to Grants.gov, and all applications must be submitted through the FAS Unified Export Strategy system. Grant records must be retained for three years from final expenditure report submission, or longer if litigation, claims, audits, or other actions involving the records remain pending.