This money will be used to help reroute excess food supply to those in need.
: “USDA will partner with regional and local distributors, whose workforce has been significantly impacted by the closure of many restaurants, hotels, and other food service entities, to purchase $3 billion in fresh produce, dairy, and meat,” the department explains. “We will begin with the procurement of an estimated $100 million per month in fresh fruits and vegetables, $100 million per month in a variety of dairy products, and $100 million per month in meat products.
The USDA also reminded the public that this $3 billion in rerouted food is on top of “up to an additional $873.3 million available in Section 32 funding to purchase a variety of agricultural products for distribution to food banks” and the “at least $850 million for food bank administrative costs and USDA food purchases” authorized by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act and CARES Act.
As to how this food will be rerouted, well, that’s the tricky part. Perdue himself reportedly called it “a logistical Rubik’s cube.” But apparently the plan will include partnering with a mix of public and private organizations.the food giant Sysco as one of the businesses that will help package and distribute these boxes of fresh produce, dairy, and meat products.
“During this time of national crisis, President Trump and USDA are standing with our farmers, ranchers, and all citizens to make sure they are taken care of,” Perdue said in the final USDA press release on CFAP. “The American food supply chain had to adapt, and it remains safe, secure, and strong, and we all know that starts with America’s farmers and ranchers.
Hopefully, this “smaller” $19 billion relief program will be more nimble on its feet than the problematically large CARES Act. But at the same time, Perdue also warned that there would still be applications for farmers to fill out. His explanation: “I don’t want to be facetious, but does anything happen in the federal government without paperwork?”
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