The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that they would be spending $470 million to buy excess food from farmers and give it to those in need, according to a recently published article.

USDA to Buy Excess Food from Farmers 

Farmers across the country deserved to be called the "Unsung Heroes." Amid the global health pandemic, they make sure that every household in the country has food to serve. Farmers, mostly immigrants from Latin America, are risking their lives outside harvesting every crop on the American fields.

One of the biggest problems that farmers and ranchers are facing today is the massive excess of food because schools, restaurants, and hotels which ordered their produce in volume have shut down its operation since the nationwide lockdown began due to COVID-19. This led the farmers to have massive volumes of food waste. 

In an attempt to help the farmers, the U.S. Department of Agriculture will buy agricultural products, dairy, and seafood that worth $470 million. This program also aims to help the demands of food banks in the country, which have significantly increased as many people lost their jobs.

The Products the USDA Will Purchase

In a recently published article, the following are the products that USDA are planning to buy:

  • $5 million worth of asparagus
  • $30 million worth of catfish
  • $30 million of chicken
  • $120 million of dairy products
  • $20 million of Atlantic fish like Haddock, Pollock, and Redfish
  • $25 million of orange juice
  • $5 million of pears
  • $20 million of Alaskan Pollock
  • $30 million of pork
  • $50 million of potatoes
  • $5 million of prunes
  • $15 million of raisins
  • $35 million of strawberries
  • $10 million of sweet potatoes
  • $20 million of tart cherries 
  • $50 million of turkey products

This move of the federal government and USDA is expected to help the volatile condition of the agriculture market today due to COVID-19 and to make sure to give food relief for those who need it. 

USDA added that they would begin its deliveries to the organizations under its Food and Nutrition Service, including food banks in July, and hope to deliver it the needy in the same month.

USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue said: "President Trump has authorized USDA to support our farmers affected by this national emergency, and this action to purchase food and deliver to those in need further demonstrates his unwavering support for the American people during these unprecedented times." 

He also added: "America's farmers and ranchers have experienced a dislocated supply chain caused by the Coronavirus. USDA is in a unique position to purchase these foods and deliver them to the hungry Americans who need it most." 

Aside from that, the USDA is also planning to allocate $4.89 billion to buy American-grown products through the rest of the year. This move is to help the farmers, ranchers, and families who are economically affected by COVID-19.

It was also announced last month that an amount of $19 billion would be allocated for the farmers and ranchers who were negatively impacted by the global pandemic. 

This amount is to be divided into two programs. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said that an amount of $3 billion would be used to purchase agricultural products such as dairy, meat, and others. These will be distributed to the people in need. 

The remaining $16 billion would be paid directly to the farmers and ranchers to boost their income and, at the same time, sustain the food chain in the country. 

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