USDA’s Farmers to Families Food Box contracts have been extended through April.
USDA communications director Matt Herrick said AMS told contract holders last week that it will continue to administer contracts through the end of April, as was budgeted when the original round five was announced in January.
“In this extension, AMS retains the flexibility to end the contract and contract with another supplier if a vendor is not performing according to the contract,” Herrick said on February 23.
He said $1.5 billion was allocated in the December appropriations for the program, and USDA will disburse all of the funding by the end of April.
“While most of the funding will go to the food box program, some will go toward other needs in the food supply chain, as directed by Congress in the statute,” Herrick said. “We are reaching out to non-profits and other partners now to determine their needs.”
You can see the list of round five food box contracts here.
Herrick said USDA is assessing commodity purchase programs and gathering feedback.
“The food box effort served some communities well, but faced challenges in others, and so as part of our assessment, we are gathering feedback from distributors, nonprofits, and other stakeholders in rural and urban areas to learn what worked and didn’t,” he said.
“We want to know if pieces of the program can be preserved or redesigned moving forward, and we’re gathering feedback now to make that decision. If the program continues beyond April, it is likely to look different, but the intent to use our resources to address market disruption and reach individuals and communities in need, and to do so equitably, will remain a priority.”
USDA’s Farmers to Families Food Box contracts have been extended through April.
USDA communications director Matt Herrick said AMS told contract holders last week that it will continue to administer contracts through the end of April, as was budgeted when the original round five was announced in January.
“In this extension, AMS retains the flexibility to end the contract and contract with another supplier if a vendor is not performing according to the contract,” Herrick said on February 23.
He said $1.5 billion was allocated in the December appropriations for the program, and USDA will disburse all of the funding by the end of April.
“While most of the funding will go to the food box program, some will go toward other needs in the food supply chain, as directed by Congress in the statute,” Herrick said. “We are reaching out to non-profits and other partners now to determine their needs.”
You can see the list of round five food box contracts here.
Herrick said USDA is assessing commodity purchase programs and gathering feedback.
“The food box effort served some communities well, but faced challenges in others, and so as part of our assessment, we are gathering feedback from distributors, nonprofits, and other stakeholders in rural and urban areas to learn what worked and didn’t,” he said.
“We want to know if pieces of the program can be preserved or redesigned moving forward, and we’re gathering feedback now to make that decision. If the program continues beyond April, it is likely to look different, but the intent to use our resources to address market disruption and reach individuals and communities in need, and to do so equitably, will remain a priority.”
Greg Johnson is Director of Media Development for Blue Book Services
