The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced Oct. 17 it will purchase up to $25 million in fresh citrus from domestic producers to distribute to food banks and nutrition assistance programs. The purchases are being made through Section 32 of the Agriculture Act of 1935 and will assist producers and communities in need.
“These purchases will benefit citrus producers by removing surplus commodities from the market and at the same time help provide nutritious food for people in need,” said USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny Lester Moffitt. “These purchases come at an important time when, in addition to many producers being in need of a market for their commodities, a significant part of the industry has been impacted by recent hurricanes.”
A pre-solicitation will be published by the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS). Purchases are determined by industry requests, market analysis and food bank needs. Details on how vendors may participate are available on the Selling Food to USDA page on the AMS website. Industry requests for future purchases using Section 32 funds will be assessed on an ongoing basis.
AMS purchases a variety of domestically produced and processed agricultural products as authorized by Section 32 of the Agriculture Act of 1935. These foods are provided to USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service nutrition assistance programs. Those programs include food banks that operate The Emergency Food Assistance Program and are a vital component of the nation’s food safety net.
Information about the ways USDA is working to support farmers and communities in the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton can be found here. Hurricane Helene damaged Florida and other states in late September. Hurricane Milton cut across Central Florida and inflicted damage to citrus about two weeks later. Learn about Milton’s damage to citrus here.
Source: USDA
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