FRIDGE Act of 2025

Fortifying Refrigeration Infrastructure and Developing Global Exports Act of 2025 or the FRIDGE Act of 2025

This bill expands the Foreign Market Development Cooperator Program to include funding for technical assistance for infrastructure-related projects to ensure U.S. agricultural commodities are not damaged or lost due to infrastructure deficiencies in new and developing markets. This Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) program funds projects that address long-term opportunities to reduce foreign import constraints or expand export growth opportunities.

Specifically, the bill directs FAS to enter into contracts or other agreements with trade organizations to enhance the infrastructure capabilities (including cold chain capacity and port improvements) in new and developing foreign markets through needs assessments, training, and other technical assistance.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1119 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1119

 To provide technical assistance to improve infrastructure in foreign 
          markets for United States agricultural commodities.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 25, 2025

  Mr. Banks (for himself and Mr. Fetterman) introduced the following 
      bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                  Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To provide technical assistance to improve infrastructure in foreign 
          markets for United States agricultural commodities.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Fortifying Refrigeration 
Infrastructure and Developing Global Exports Act of 2025'' or the 
``FRIDGE Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) One of the largest limiting factors to growing export 
        markets for United States food and agriculture products is 
        insufficient infrastructure capabilities.
            (2) Current trade programs are focused on promoting 
        specific commodities or products, all of which are reliant on a 
        functioning supply chain.
            (3) There is a need for dedicated resources to focus on 
        supply chain enhancement in developing countries to enable 
        market expansion and diversification.
            (4) Each year, billions of tons of fresh and frozen food 
        products and millions of dollars' worth of United States 
        exports are lost due to poor cold chain systems in developing 
        markets.
            (5) Strengthening global infrastructure plays an important 
        role in promoting trade, reducing food loss and waste, and 
        improving nutrition.

SEC. 3. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO IMPROVE INFRASTRUCTURE IN FOREIGN 
              MARKETS FOR UNITED STATES AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES.

    Section 203(c) of the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 
5623(c)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(4) Technical assistance to improve infrastructure in 
        foreign markets for united states agricultural commodities.--
                    ``(A) In general.--As part of the program 
                established under this subsection, the Secretary shall 
                enter into contracts or other agreements with eligible 
                trade organizations to provide needs assessments, 
                training, and other technical assistance to enhance the 
                capabilities of infrastructure in new and developing 
                foreign markets, including infrastructure relating to 
                cold chain capacity, port improvements, and other 
                developments, to ensure United States agricultural 
                commodities are not damaged or lost due to deficiencies 
                of such infrastructure.
                    ``(B) Authorization of appropriations.--
                            ``(i) In general.--There is authorized to 
                        be appropriated to carry out this paragraph 
                        $1,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2026 
                        through 2030.
                            ``(ii) Rule of construction.--Amounts 
                        authorized to be appropriated under this 
                        subparagraph may be used only for the purposes 
                        described in subparagraph (A).
                            ``(iii) Availability.--Amounts authorized 
                        to be appropriated under this subparagraph that 
                        are not used to carry out this paragraph are 
                        authorized to be made available to carry out 
                        the program established under this 
                        subsection.''.
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