PROJECT SPOTLIGHT

U.S. Department of Agriculture Georgia Safety and Quality Investment in Livestock (SQIL) Project

Improving food safety and quality along Georgia’s dairy and beef value chains.
2018 – 2026

With funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food for Progress program, Land O’Lakes Venture37 is leading the innovative, demand-driven U.S. Department of Agriculture Georgia Safety and Quality Investment in Livestock (SQIL) Project to improve food safety and quality and competitiveness in Georgia’s dairy and beef industries. The SQIL activity is partnering with the Georgian Farmers’ Association, uniting agribusiness know-how with industry-leading food safety acumen and deep Georgian agribusiness connections. From farm-to-fork, this project is boosting competitiveness, productivity, and trade of dairy and beef products. The project complements development activities of Georgian Governmental agencies, such as the National Food Agency and the Agricultural and Rural Development Agency.

PROJECT FOCUS AREAS

1. Improving sanitary and phytosanitary standards

SQIL is developing infrastructure and technical capabilities in product handling, storage, and merchandising to enable farms and businesses to meet industry food safety regulatory requirements.

2. Boosting farm and agribusiness productivity

The project is improving commercial farmers’ productivity and resiliency by facilitating access to comprehensive extension services, improved inputs and technologies, and new asset protection products.

3. Expanding market access

By establishing partnerships within the dairy and beef industries, the project is improving and incentivizing the development of quality, branded products. It is also providing competitive grants to enable agribusinesses to develop value-added services that help meet the growing demand of their clients.

COUNTRY CONTEXT

Georgia

Georgia has a rich culinary history based around dairy and meat production. The country’s climate and agronomic conditions make it an optimal place for further development of these industries. Georgia’s dairy and beef industries make up nearly half of all the country’s agricultural output, and the opportunities for growth based on domestic and export market opportunities are favorable. As Georgia continues to look westward for trade partners, now is an opportune time for a strong private sector led initiative to transform the dairy and beef sectors.