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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.

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.

Help is on the way.

As promised, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has released its solicitation for proposals for the Buy Fresh Coronavirus Farm Assistance Program.

With $2.7 billion targeted to the fruit and vegetable industry, the $19 billion Coronavirus Food Assistance Program was unveiled by Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue on April 17.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is offering a web seminar on April 21 to explain details of its “Buy Fresh” program funded through the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.