(UPDATED) The U.S. Department of Agriculture is making another $500 million available for the Farmers to Family Food Box Program, the fourth installment of the program that’s already distributed more than 110 million boxes of produce, meat and dairy products.
That would put total purchases by the government through the program around $3.5 billion. The USDA announced the new round of food boxes on Oct. 23.
As with the third round, the USDA is allocating funds to contractors who can supply combination boxes to states with the highest needs.
“The program also will continue to require that proposals illustrate how coverage would be provided to areas identified as opportunity zones, detail subcontracting agreements, and address the ‘last mile’ delivery of product into the hands of the food insecure population,” according to the USDA news release on the program. “Entities who meet the government’s requirements and specifications will be issued agreements and submit pricing through a competitive acquisition process.”
The current contracts for suppliers in the Farmers to Families Food Box Program, established in May to help growers divert food to food banks and non-profits after the COVID-10 pandemic disrupted supply chains, expire at the end of the month.
Richard Owen, vice president of global membership and engagement at the Produce Marketing Association, said the USDA expects to reward the new contracts by Oct. 30 for delivery of food boxes from Nov. 1 through the end of the year.
“PMA is pleased to see this additional funding by USDA that will extend the life and reach of the Food Box Distribution Program,” Owen said in a news release. “A critical tool established in April by the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program, the initiative created a new distribution channel for the fresh produce industry to deliver food to those in need.”
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