FOLSOM, CA - The U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) has been awarded $1.5 million from the second round of the U.S. Department of Food and Agriculture’s (USDA) Regional Agricultural Promotion Program (RAPP). Earlier this year, USHBC received $1.3 million in RAPP funding.

RAPP funds are designed to diversify and expand market opportunities for U.S. food and agricultural products in emerging global markets. According to a press release, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced in October 2023 that USDA would use $1.2 billion from the Commodity Credit Corporation to establish RAPP.

“The impact of funding for export promotion is profound for the blueberry industry. This second-round grant will help the USHBC continue to build off of our successes in leading the effort to drive global consumption of blueberries,” said Kasey Cronquist USHBC President. “These grants are critical to our efforts to expand into markets like Vietnam, India, and South Korea, and we’re grateful to have been a recipient of a grant for the second time this year as we continue to spread the word about the quality, versatility, and health benefits of blueberries to new markets.”

USDA received proposals for RAPP grants from a range of agricultural trade organizations, state regional trade groups, agricultural cooperatives, and state agencies. Proposals for the second round exceeded the available funding, with eligible entities submitting more than $1 billion in project requests.

Once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied, second-round grants totaling $300 million are expected to go to 67 partners. The latest investment brings total RAPP funding to $600 million in 2024.

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