FRIDGE Act of 2025

The Fortifying Refrigeration Infrastructure and Developing Global Exports Act of 2025, or FRIDGE Act, seeks to address significant limitations in growing export markets for United States agricultural products. It recognizes that insufficient infrastructure, particularly in cold chain systems, leads to billions in food loss and millions in lost U.S. exports annually in developing countries. To counter this, the bill amends the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978, authorizing the Secretary of Agriculture to provide technical assistance to improve foreign market infrastructure. This assistance, delivered through contracts with eligible trade organizations, includes needs assessments, training, and other technical support for enhancing cold chain capacity and port improvements. The legislation authorizes an appropriation of $1,000,000 annually for fiscal years 2026 through 2030 to ensure U.S. agricultural commodities are not damaged or lost due to inadequate infrastructure.