WASHINGTON (AVC News) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced plans to purchase up to $472.5 million in American-grown and American-raised agricultural products for distribution through the charitable food network and other nutrition assistance programs.
The purchases are intended to support U.S. agricultural producers, help stabilize commodity markets and strengthen the nation’s food supply while directing food to people in need.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke L. Rollins said the investment will move products including milk, cheese, lentils, almonds, rice and catfish from American farms to nutrition assistance programs.
The purchases will be made through Section 32, a federal program that allows the USDA to support agricultural markets when producers face tight market conditions, economic hardship or sudden disruptions.
The department said the purchases will benefit producers across the country, including growers of pulse crops, tree nuts, raisins and citrus, as well as catfish farmers, rice growers, pork and poultry producers and the Pacific whiting fishing fleet.
The program also supports rural employment by creating demand for the processors, packers, haulers and other workers involved in moving agricultural products from farms to consumers.
The USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service will purchase $472.5 million in domestically produced and processed commodities. The products will be distributed through USDA nutrition assistance programs as part of the nation’s food assistance network.
The planned purchases include $165.5 million in dairy products, $41 million in pork, $37 million in split peas, $30 million in almonds, $29 million in lentils, $25 million in raisins, $22 million in hazelnuts, $21 million in rice, $20 million each in chickpeas and farm-raised catfish, $20 million in chicken, $12 million in Pacific whiting, $10 million in dried fruit mix, $10 million in grapefruit and $10 million in oranges.
