The USDA said it will award more than $25 million to eight projects in its new Assisting Specialty Crop Exports (ACSE) initiative.
U.S. specialty crop exports totaled $25.8 billion last year, according to the USDA.
Selected projects include:
- Clemson University and the Foundation for Fresh Produce, will each receive $5 million to establish ASCE Sustainable Packaging Innovation Labs. The research and projects implemented by these labs will help address the changing packaging and labeling requirements in export markets and offer sustainable packaging options to meet those new rules.
- The Minor Use Foundation will receive $2 million to develop supporting data and submit applications for the establishment of additional maximum residue limits (MRLs) for specialty crops under the Codex Alimentarius Commission, and to build the global alliances and technical capacity needed for future Codex MRL submissions. The USDA said Codex MRLs are crucial to facilitate trade, but often major commodity crops are prioritized over specialty crops. The Minor Use Foundation will partner with the IR-4 Project, which was established by USDA and land-grant universities in 1963, to research and ensure that specialty crop farmers have access to crop protection products to effectively and safely manage pests.
- International nonprofit CABI will lead two initiatives to align pesticide regulatory systems and harmonize MRLs to make accessing new export markets more transparent and predictable for U.S. producers. A $4-million project will focus on Southeast Asia and a $3-million project will focus on regional collaboration in Africa.
- The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture will lead a $3-million project in Latin America and the Caribbean for regional alignment of pesticide regulatory systems and science-based, trade-facilitative MRLs.
- Ag Aligned Global will lead a $3-million project focused on import MRLs in Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation member economies, supporting trade with key export markets for U.S. specialty crops. The recipient will coordinate with the Minor Crop Farmer Alliance, which represents U.S. specialty crop producer organizations, and with Bryant Christie Inc. to ensure U.S. producers’ input is central to the development of ASCE projects focused on MRLs.
- The USDA selected Bryant Christie to develop MRL quick reference sheets for 60 specialty crops in key export markets, to help make the complex requirements more easily understandable for U.S. producers.
The USDA launched the Assisting Specialty Crop Exports (ASCE) initiative in January and will address non-tariff trade barriers that hinder U.S. exports of fruits, vegetables, tree nuts and more.
“Specialty crop exporters face myriad import requirements in every foreign market they enter, yet they often don’t have the economies of scale to develop the required certifications or negotiate favorable terms. ASCE will help smaller exporters by directly addressing barriers and supporting industry’s efforts to obtain needed certifications,” Alexis Taylor, USDA undersecretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs said in a news relese.. “We’re excited to bring on new partners who will provide solutions and allow U.S. specialty crop producers to expand international markets for their world-class products.”
