Our Work in Latin America & The Caribbean
Assisting Specialty Crop Exports in Asian Pacific Economies 2024-2027
Summary: The Assisting Specialty Crop Exports (ASCE) initiative is an innovative partnership between USDA and the specialty crops sector to break down non-tariff trade barriers that hinder U.S. exports of fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, horticultural crops, and other products. AAG provides technical support and training while coordinating project partners and technical experts as the project lead. Countries of interest include: Peru, Chile, and Mexico. Project funded by USDA ASCE.
Project Partners: Bryant Christie Incorporated (BCI), IICA
Project Team: Dr. Jason Sandahl, Luis Suguiyama, Veronica Picado, Ian Reichstein, Carmen Tiu, Alan Norden
Technical Support for Improving the Registration and Farmer Adoption of Bio-pesticides in the Caribbean 2024
Summary: This project assessed the current status of bio-pesticide registration requirements and identified regulatory needs across Caribbean Member Countries. It strengthened scientific understanding of bio-pesticide categories and increased familiarity with international guidelines and technical resources. The initiative also supported the development of a regional framework for streamlined bio-pesticide registration and provided assistance for its harmonized implementation.
Partners: CABI, USDA-FAS, IICA
Project Team: Dr. Jason Sandahl, Luis Suguiyama
Gaining Pesticide MRLs in Export Markets Through Crop Grouping: Central and South America 2025-2027
Summary: This project supports the establishment of crop grouping systems to improve regulatory harmonization across countries in Latin America. Through workshops, policy meetings, technical training, and hands-on demonstration studies, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama, Peru will increase their understanding of crop grouping and gain confidence in using representative crop data to support minor and national crops. National teams will conduct residue and efficacy studies. The project also assists countries in advancing toward adoption of Codex-based crop grouping systems, with the broader goal of reducing MRL gaps between the United States and Codex and minimizing trade-related residue violations. Project funded by USDA Emerging Market Products program.
Partners: Minor Use Foundation
Project Team: Dr. Jason Sandahl, Anna Gore, Dr. Edwin Barbosa, Veronica Picado
Latin America Pesticide Residue Data Generation 2013-2016
Summary: Commissioned by the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) this work supported technical capacity capacity building to generate, review and interpret pesticide residue data of sufficiently high quality to be accepted by the JMPR (global governing body) for the issuance of new pesticide MRLs (Maximum Residue Limits). The project also supported national pesticide registration (and thus offered farmers more low-risk options). Bolivia, Colombia, Panamá, Costa Rica, and Guatemala participated in this project. Project funded by World Trade Organization STDF program.
Results: Three residue studies (one for pineapple, one for banana and one for avocado) were submitted to JMPR. A new MRL was established in Sept. 2018 for spinetoram/avocado. The products have been registered in all the countries that participated in the trials.
Partners: Pesticide manufacturers Dow and Valent/Sumitomo, Croplife Latin America, IICA
Project Team: Dr. Jason Sandahl, Dr. Michael Braverman, Veronica Picado, Dr. Carlos Angel, Luis Suguiyama