The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced that small businesses across America’s food supply chain are now eligible for an enhanced “Grocery Guarantee” through the SBA International Trade Loan (ITL) Program. The loans, which come with a 90% federal guarantee, will be available to a broad range of producers in the agriculture and logistics industries, to expand food production and supply – with the aim of reducing grocery costs for consumers.
They also announced that small manufacturers across the country will soon be eligible for enhanced support through the SBA’s International Trade Loan (ITL) Program. The loans, which come with a 90% federal guarantee, will help manufacturers expand facilities, hire workers, and increase production – as part of the Trump Administration’s broader effort to rebuild America’s industrial dominance and strength. In addition, the SBA recently expanded ITL eligibility to include small businesses across the food supply chain, including those in the agriculture, production, and logistics industries.
About the ITL Program
The ITL Program unlocks long-term, affordable financing to support American producers – offering borrowers additional flexibility through an increased SBA guarantee of 90% compared to the standard 75% guarantee for the agency’s popular 7(a) Loan Program. The Grocery Guarantee will give local lenders greater confidence to deploy capital into the food supply chain, supporting investments in production capacity, processing, and distribution to increase the supply of domestic food products and lower grocery prices.
On May 1st, small businesses in the following NAICS Groups and National Industry Codes will become eligible for the expanded ITL Loan program:
- 1111 – Oilseed and Grain Farming
- 1112 – Vegetable and Melon Farming
- 1113 – Fruit and Tree Nut Farming
- 1121 – Cattle Ranching and Farming
- 1122- Hog and Pig Farming
- 1123 – Poultry and Egg Production
- 1124 – Sheep and Goat Farming
- 1125 – Aquaculture
- 1129 – Other Animal Production
- 1141 – Fishing
- 1151 – Support Activities for Crop Production
- 1152 – Support Activities for Animal Production
- 423820 – Farm and Garden Machinery and Equipment Merchant Wholesalers
- 4244 – Grocery and Related Product Merchant Wholesalers
- 424420 – Packaged Frozen Food Merchant Wholesalers
- 4245 – Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers
- 424910 – Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers
- 445110 – Supermarkets and Other Grocery Retailers
- 484220 –Specialized Freight Trucking, Local
- 484230 –Specialized Freight Trucking, Long Distance
- 493120 – Refrigerated Warehousing and Storage
- 493130 – Farm Warehousing and Storage
Starting May 1st, manufacturers across NAICS Sectors 31–33 will become eligible for the expanded ITL Program. Eligible businesses may use the funds to:
- Upgrade or replace equipment to improve productivity and reduce unit costs.
- Modernize facilities and production lines to meet customer and national security requirements.
- Diversify supply chains away from foreign adversaries and bring critical production back to the United States.
- Build more resilient inventory positions.
- Expand operations and capacity through strategic acquisitions.
The enhanced SBA funding builds on the Trump Administration’s broader commitment to reshoring American industry and domestic supply chains; also supporting American farmers, ranchers, and producers – and bringing lower prices to American consumers. By reducing barriers to capital and empowering lenders to invest in American agriculture, SBA is ensuring that small businesses remain at the center of our nation’s food security and economic strength. In 2025, the Trump SBA deployed over $7 billion in capital to rural communities out of a total of $45 billion in lending across 85,000 small businesses.
Lenders and small businesses interested in the updated International Trade Loan program can contact SBA’s national team of Finance Managers for more information. SBA’s Finance Manager team not only supports the ITL program but also serves as the agency’s working capital specialists and can help lenders and borrowers understand how ITL can be paired with SBA’s expanding suite of working capital solutions – including the MARC and Working Capital Pilot.