About Us

The California Agricultural Export Council (CAEC) is a multi‑commodity, non‑profit organization established in 1995 to support smaller California commodity groups that may not have the resources, personnel, or experience to independently conduct foreign market development programs. By pooling expertise and administrative capacity, CAEC enables its members to share market knowledge, reduce costs, and achieve greater marketing and promotional efficiencies. CAEC’s core members include California Figs, California Pomegranates, California/USA Dates, and High Value Ingredients, representing specialty crops with strong export potential and deep ties to USA agricultural heritage.

 

CAEC’s primary mission is to obtain and manage Federal grant funding on behalf of its members, working closely with each commodity group—and in coordination with the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture—to develop strategic export plans and ensure full compliance with grant regulations. A secondary directive is to promote California agricultural exports more broadly by serving as a central vehicle for generic “California” branding in international markets. Through cross‑commodity collaboration and strategic partnerships, CAEC works to expand global demand for California and USA products with the ultimate goal of increasing exports and returning value directly to specialty crop farmers and industry partners, strengthening the long‑term competitiveness of California and USA agriculture.