Cold chain news: USDA emerging markets program

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Emerging Markets Program (EMP) is funding technical assistance activities intended to promote exports of US agricultural commodities and products to emerging markets in all geographic regions, consistent with US foreign policy.According to USDA marketing specialist S. Beasley, "perishable foods are the largest, most profitable and fastest-growing sector of agricultural trade" and "since 1998, the USDA has been actively engaged in international cold chain technical assistance to address product loss and quality degradation as a result of improper refrigeration and other cold chain infrastructure problems in emerging markets." All private US agricultural organizations, trade associations, universities, consultant groups may apply to the Program which has 10 million USD authorized annually from the funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation. www.fas.usda.gov/mos/em-markets/em-markets.asp Cold Facts, July-August 2010