USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service is investing $3.67 million to bring agricultural researchers, policymakers, and professionals from developing and middle-income countries to the United States for collaborative scientific training. The programs are not primarily aimed at individual foreign fellows; the FY2026 funding round invites U.S. higher education and research institutions to design and host the programs that place these international participants.
About the Borlaug and Cochran Fellowship Programs
Administered by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), the two programs share a core mission: using U.S.-based scientific training to dismantle foreign trade barriers, advance science-based regulatory frameworks, and open new export markets for American agricultural products. The Borlaug program focuses on long-term collaborative research partnerships in biotechnology and regulatory alignment, while the Cochran program delivers shorter, targeted training to agricultural professionals from middle-income countries. The FY2026 round represents a fresh investment cycle with proposals now open to eligible U.S. institutions.
Funding Size
- Total FY2026 investment: $3,675,000
- Borlaug Fellowship Program: $2,625,000 total, funding up to 6 programs at a maximum of $750,000 each
- Cochran Fellowship Program: $1,050,000 total, funding up to 7 programs at a maximum of $150,000 each
Who Can Apply
- U.S. higher education institutions and university research centers
- U.S. government research agencies
- U.S.-based nonprofit research institutions
- Applicants must propose programs that host and mentor fellows from eligible developing or middle-income countries
- Individual international researchers apply separately through the host institution or their home country’s USDA attaché; this funding round is for U.S. implementing institutions only
Geographic Eligibility
- Proposals must be submitted by U.S.-based institutions
- Fellows hosted must come from USDA-eligible developing and middle-income countries as defined in the FY2026 program guidance
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Sector or Thematic Focus
- Biotechnology research and science-based regulatory development
- Food safety, sanitary and phytosanitary standards, and grading and standards
- Agricultural trade facilitation and export market development
- Sustainable agriculture, food security, and economic growth
- Policy development and regulatory capacity building in partner countries
Application Process
Proposals are submitted electronically through the USDA FAS online application portal before the deadline. U.S. institutions submit a full program proposal outlining the training design, participating fellows, host arrangements, mentorship structure, and budget. FAS evaluates proposals on scientific merit, trade impact potential, and program design quality.
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Required Materials
- Complete program proposal addressing Borlaug or Cochran program requirements
- Institutional capacity documentation
- Budget narrative and justification
- Proposed mentorship and training plan for international fellows
- Identification of eligible partner countries and participating fellows where known
Key Dates
- Application deadline: 14 August 2026, 11:59 p.m. EST
Selection Notes
- Borlaug proposals must demonstrate a clear pathway to long-term scientific collaboration beyond the fellowship period
- Cochran proposals should show measurable trade facilitation outcomes within the two to three week training window
- Only U.S.-based institutions are eligible to apply as implementing partners in this round