The United Fresh Produce Association and Produce Marketing Association has asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture to include them in any revisions or evaluations of the Farmers to Families Food Box Program.
Most of the $1.22 billion in contracts announced May 8 went to companies to fill produce-only boxes. Questions from the industry have been directed at the size of some of contracts and who they went to, including companies that have no infrastructure, access to distribution or experience handling fresh produce.
United Fresh and PMA’s letter, dated May 14, is addressed to Bruce Summers, administrator of the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service, which oversees the box program, and is signed by United Fresh President and CEO Tom Stenzel and PMA CEO Cathy Burns.
The executives praise the speed in which the program was established and its goal, but suggested the USDA work with industry in the future.
“We offer our full support in any way possible to help you achieve your goals with the program,” according to the letter. “There are important lessons that we all are already learning and need to act on. We do that in the spirit of perfecting a new program in a sincere desire to help.”
Produce companies, according to the letter, are offering to guide the USDA “in any appropriate way to provide background” on:
- Day-to-day efficiencies in the produce supply chain;
- Ways in which companies can most cost-effectively deliver fresh produce; and
- Performance standards that USDA can audit to ensure successful execution.
Stenzel, who has been keeping United Fresh members updated on COVID-19 related updates, said in a May 15 update that the USDA is reviewing the awards.
” ... We understand that USDA is taking a hard look at recent awards and will bring great rigor and oversight to make sure the desired outcomes are achieved,” he wrote in the update.
The USDA is also approving new contracts for the produce boxes.
“Whether or not a specific company gets a specific contract, our overall goal must be to ensure that all contracts deliver fresh produce efficiently, safely and quickly to those in need,” Stenzel wrote in the May 15 update.
California Fresh Fruit Association
The California Fresh Fruit Association also sent a letter to the USDA about the program.
The May 13 letter from CFFA President Ian LeMay to Agriculture Secretary, also supports the speed of the bid process for the boxes, which will go to food banks across the nation.
The list of contract awardees, however, brought many questions from CFFA members, according to LeMay.
“In reviewing USDA’s announcement of contract awards, only 12% of the contracts in the Western Region were awarded to businesses that are growers, shippers, and packers of agricultural commodities,” according to LeMay’s letter. “Wholesalers and retailers comprised over 80% of the awardees. If USDA’s intent, was to provide much needed relief to our farmers and producers, the first round of the program fell well short of that goal.”
The CFFA also offered to assist the USDA through its members, in the hopes growers, shippers and packers will be more successful in receiving future contracts through the box program.
“To get there, CFFA stands ready to assist USDA and AMS to ensure the program’s success in helping to address food insecurity, provide nutrition, and support the farmers of our state and nation,” according to the CFFA’s letter.
For more stories on the pandemic, see The Packer’s COVID-19 webpage.
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Contract recipients start work on Farmers to Families Boxes
Packer Insight — Farmers to Families Food Box Program
