President Trump tweeted that starting next week, the United States will buy $ 3 billion in food from farms to supply to food banks.
Trump called the initiative “Farmers to Family Food Box”.
CNN previously reported that this program is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s $ 19 billion in aid to farmers, announced on April 17.
Program information: USDA is partnering with private distributors who will buy a variety of foods and pack them in boxes that will be delivered to food banks. USDA has said it will spend $ 100 million per month on fruits and vegetables, $ 100 million on dairy products and $ 100 million on meat products.
The other $ 16 billion will be distributed in payments directly to farmers, although that system is not expected to be operational until the end of May.
Zippy Duvall, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, applauded the USDA transfer on Friday.
“We appreciate the USDA for its quick action and flexibility in finding a way to bring food from American farms to the dining tables of those who need it most. These food purchases will help the hungry while providing income to farmers and farmers who saw some markets disappear for their food during the Covid-19 pandemic, “said Duvall in a statement.
This news comes as food banks across the country face enormous pressure with jobless Americans at historic rates.
A Women Giving Back food distribution site in Sterling, Virginia donated nearly 11,000 pounds of food to nearly 400 families on Saturday, according to statistics provided by the group.
The organization was forced to push back five loads of people after running out of food.
Read Trump’s tweet:
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