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The U.S. Department of Agriculture is planning another round of contracts for the Farmers to Families Food Box Program, according to an administrator of the program who touted its successes in a PMA Virtual Town Hall.

After numerous industry questions and an exchange of letters between national trade associations and the USDA, Tom Stenzel believes it is time to focus on the positives of the Farmers to Families Food Box Program.

Atlanta-based Royal Food Service Co. has been awarded a maximum $465 million contract to supply for fresh fruits and vegetables to Georgia military and school customers.

With a price tag of $1.22 billion and hundreds of contracts, the USDA’s Farmers to Families Food Box Program is a massive endeavor to move fresh produce and other foods to needy families through food banks.

The USDA now has the authority under the Defense Production Act to help prevent supply interruptions at FDA-regulated food facilities, including farms, packinghouses and fresh-cut processing facilities.

A bipartisan bill has been introduced that would give tax credits to offset uncollectable foodservice sector debt incurred as a direct result of the COVID-19 shutdown.

Fresh Direct Produce Ltd., Vancouver, British Columbia, has acquired organic produce distributor Mike and Mike’s Inc.

Sheboygan, Wisc.-based A.J. Wholesale Produce Inc., has been awarded a maximum $48.6 million federal contract to supply fresh fruits and vegetables to schools in two states.

Hopes were running high among fresh produce foodservice distributors, food banks and other nonprofit groups that may benefit from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farmers to Families food box program.

Produce wholesalers at the Raleigh (N.C.) State Farmers Market may be booted from their space when a master plan for redesigning the property and surrounding land comes to fruition.