Assisting Specialty Crop Exports

ASCE addresses barriers unique to specialty crops exports. It supports projects that advance U.S. specialty crop exports by expanding domestic understanding of foreign food safety systems and foreign understanding of U.S. food safety systems. The initiative will also collect information needed for export certification, and packaging to meet other countries' new requirements.

State agricultural experiment stations, State cooperative extension services, all colleges and universities, other research or education institutions and organizations, Federal and private agencies and organizations, individuals, and any other organization, whether foreign or domestic. n.b. Individual Notices of Funding Opportunity may be made available to a subset of these organizations.

Applicants will be evaluated on the extent and quality to which they demonstrate that they have the capabilities, staff, resources, and equipment to successfully perform the project. Scoring will also be based on the level of detail and how clearly the applicant�s capacities to address these factors are outlined in the proposal. Selection factors will be described in individual NOFOs, but generally include Technical Expertise and Experience, Overall Program Plan, Cost Effectiveness, and Quality of Submission.

Fiscal year 2024: In 2024, ASCE funded 7 projects to improve consistency and use of science in pesticide maximum residue levels in Africa, Asia, and Latin America; and to research improved packaging materials to meet stricter requirements for sustainability in Europe. Fiscal year 2025: In 2025, ASCE funded 8 projects to improve consistency and use of science in pesticide maximum residue levels in Africa, Asia, and Latin America; and to research improved packaging materials to meet stricter requirements for sustainability in Europe.