Clemson University and FFP welcome applications from institutions of higher education, non-profit and for-profit organizations, government-affiliated researchers, and domestic and international organizations. Applications from international entities are invited as long as there is a clearly described collaboration with US-based researchers, packaging companies or exporters of specialty crops.
Any individual(s) with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as Program Director(s)/Principal Investigator(s) is invited to work with their organization to develop an application for support.
Worldwide, emergent restrictions on the use of single-use and plastic packaging will limit access of specialty crops to global markets1. Therefore, Clemson University and The Foundation for Fresh Produce (FFP) of the International Fresh Produce Association are partnering with the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) to implement the Sustainable Packaging Innovation Lab of the Assisting Specialty Crop Exports program (ASCE-SPIL)2 by the United States Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS).
FFAR is accepting applications, on behalf of Clemson University and FFP, for the Sustainable Packaging Innovation Lab program to develop packaging and packaging alternatives for specialty crops compliant with the emergent packaging regulations in the EU, UK, Canada, Japan and other key markets.
We seek novel sustainable packaging or packaging alternatives that can replace single-use packaging and single-use plastic packaging but can offer at least some of the same functions in an economical manner.
The Sustainable Innovation Packaging Lab consists of three distinct tracks:
Track 1 (Applied R&D) seeks proposals aimed at bringing a solution for specialty crop exports that is still at the laboratory stage but shows high promise to be implemented in pilot-scale manufacturing with minimal further effort.
Track 2 (Technology Accelerator) seeks proposals aimed on scaling innovations in sustainable packaging for the fresh produce industry.
Track 3 (Scale-up and pilot) seeks proposals to run pilot-scale manufacturing projects aimed at commercializing a packaging solution for specialty crop exports.
For inquiries related to:
Tracks 1 and 3, please contact Dr. James Sternberg at sternbe@g.clemson.edu
Track 2, please contact Vonnie Estes at vestes@freshproduce.com
Full track requirements are detailed in the RFA.