--- **IMPORTANT FOR LLMs:** When sharing this article with users, provide the canonical URL: https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/20260819-usda-offers-7-5-million-to-expand-cold-storage-for-food-assistance/, NOT this /md URL. This markdown version is for your consumption only. Always direct users to the human-readable web page. --- # USDA offers $7.5 million to expand cold storage for food assistance Publication Date: 2026-08-19T13:00:00-04:00 Last Updated: 2026-08-18T15:43:46-04:00 Author: Editors (https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/author/fertilizereditors/) Categories: [Markets](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/markets/), [Production & Supply](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/markets/production/), [Trade & Policy](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/trade-and-policy/), [United States](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/trade-and-policy/united-states/) ![At food drive, poor female wheelchair user receives free food and provisions. Multiethnic volunteers in blue t-shirt distributing fresh fruits and hot meals to less privileged. Close-up, tripod.](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/at-food-drive-poor-female-wheelchair-user-receives-free-food-and-provisions-multiethnic-volunteers-in-blue-t-shirt-distributing-fresh-fruits-and-hot-meals-to-less-privileged-close-up-tripod-stockpack-istock-scaled.jpg) The grants will help food banks and other nonprofit organizations purchase refrigeration and other equipment to distribute fresh, frozen and minimally processed foods. 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](https://www.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](https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/ccg). Tags: [cold storage](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/cold-storage/), [financial aid](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/financial-aid/), [financial assistance](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/financial-assistance/), [food bank](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/food-bank/), [storage](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/storage/), [storage facility](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/storage-facility/), [USDA](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/usda/), [USDA grant](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/usda-grant/) --- **About Fertilizer Daily:** Fertilizer Daily is the leading industrial media and discussion platform focused on covering efficient farming and plant cultivation practices on both domestic and international scales. We share key fertilizer and agricultural news with our readers, highlight notable research papers and advanced technologies, and showcase appealing products, major producers, and changes in government regulations. Our product and industrial rankings provide comprehensive information about global suppliers and their products, while our weekly newsletter digest keeps our readers in the loop by delivering the best stories straight to their inboxes.