Oct 21, 2024IFPA, Clemson receive USDA award to establish Sustainable Packaging Innovation Lab
The USDA has awarded $5 million to establish a Sustainable Packaging Innovation Lab, which will focus on developing packaging solutions to address the changing global regulations, reducing single-use plastics in both the nut and other specialty crop industries.
This grant was awarded to awarded to the International Fresh Produce Association’s (IFPA) Foundation for Fresh Produce and Clemson University to establish a the lab, and is part of a $25 million package from the USDA’s Assisting Specialty Crop Exports (ASCE) initiative.
IFPA in collaboration with the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) and the University of Florida will implement the program, aimed at ensuring U.S. fruits, vegetables and nuts meet international packaging and labeling standards.
“The packaging and labeling requirements for export markets are changing at a rapid pace,” said Max Teplitski, chief science officer for IFPA. “This investment from the USDA will turbocharge the development and scale-up of innovative packaging compliant with emerging global packaging regulations.”
The project builds on IFPA’s Fresh Field Catalyst Accelerator program, which has been working to scale up innovations in the produce industry over the past three years. With recent packaging regulations emerging in markets such as Canada, the U.K., Australia and the European Union, many U.S. produce exports face hurdles due to conflicting standards.
“The Sustainable Packaging Innovation Lab will accelerate the development of innovative solutions that support international trade while addressing the urgent need to minimize plastic use and reduce food waste,” said Constance Gewa, scientific program director for FFAR.