USDA Farmers to Family Food Box Program
As part of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program Secretary Perdue announced on April 17, USDA is exercising authority under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act to purchase and distribute agricultural products to those in need. Through this program, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is partnering with national, regional and local distributors, whose workforces have been significantly impacted by the closure of restaurants, hotels and other food service businesses, to purchase up to $4.5 billion in fresh produce, dairy and meat products from American producers of all sizes. The program will supply boxes of fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy products and meat products. Distributors package these products into family-sized boxes, then transport them to food banks, community and faith-based organizations, and other non-profits serving Americans in need.
The first round of purchases occurred from May 15 through June 30, 2020 and saw more than 35.5 million boxes delivered in the first 45 days. In the second round of purchasing and distribution, which began July 1 and concluded Sep. 18, 2020, USDA purchased more than $1.781 billion of food through extended contracts of select vendors from the first round of the program as well as new contracts focused on Opportunity Zones in order to direct food to reach underserved areas, places where either no boxes have yet been delivered, or where boxes are being delivered but where there is additional need. The ongoing third round of the program was announced July 24, 2020, and the President announced on Aug. 24, 2020, that up to an additional $1 billion was being made available for deliveries through Oct. 31, 2020. USDA announced contracts for the third round on Sept. 17, 2020, and has purchased more than $3.634 billion worth of food, to date. The upcoming fourth round, announced on Oct. 23, 2020, will aim to purchase up to $500 million worth of food and will begin Nov. 1 with deliveries through Dec. 31, 2020. We teamed with Vine & Village to bring a literal busload of food to low-income communities in Arkansas. Sorting fresh produce, protein, and snacks into individual boxes, we were able to provide food boxes with basic groceries to over 700 community residents.
*via USDA.gov