USDA offers $7.5 million to expand cold storage for food assistance

The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Aug. 17 announced $7.5 million in grants to expand cold-chain capacity for food assistance organizations. The Cold Chain Grants for Emergency Food Assistance Program will fund equipment used to temporarily store, package and distribute fresh, frozen and minimally processed food, including meat, eggs, dairy and produce.

Under the program, nonprofit grant recipients will administer competitive subaward programs for cold-storage investments in the middle of the food supply chain. Subawards can cover equipment purchases, delivery, installation and necessary ancillary supplies, up to $200,000 per project. Recipients of the subawards must provide a 10% cash contribution.

USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins said the program would expand infrastructure for storing food produced by U.S. farmers and ranchers, while Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the funding would help food banks provide more whole foods to families in need. The program is funded through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and is intended to support the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. ET on Oct. 1, 2026. More information is available through the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service’s Cold Chain Grants for Emergency Food Assistance program.