President Donald J. Trump and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced up to an additional $1 billion for the Farmers to Families Food Box Program.
The additional funding allows the program to continue critical support to farmers, distributors and American families in need. The Farmers to Families Food Box program has provided over 70 million boxes to hungry Americans across the country.
“I’m so proud of the people of USDA for designing this program in record time. With this additional up to $1 billion in funding, the Farmers to Families Food Box Program will continue to save countless jobs, support our farmers and move food to where it’s needed most,” Perdue said.
USDA also announced it has begun issuing agreements for distribution of Food Boxes in the upcoming third round of solicitations. The first two rounds of deliveries began on May 15 and will run to Aug. 31. The third round will put more emphasis on food insecurity by seeking entities that provide combination boxes and requiring distributors to illustrate how they will provide coverage to areas identified as opportunity zones, detail subcontracting agreements and address the “last mile” delivery of product into the hands of the food insecure population.
As a part of the third round, USDA continues to review proposals and make announcements of Basic Ordering Agreements (BOA). A list of current BOA holders and more information about the third round of Farmers to Families Food Box Program purchases is available at www.ams.usda.gov/selling-food-to-usda/farmers-to-families-food-box.
The additional up to $1 billion funding is part of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) authorization. Entities that proposed under the previous solicitation, including current vendors, must resubmit a proposal to participate in the third round.
USDA is using BOAs in order to have greater flexibility to ensure contracted entities provide adequate coverage throughout the states and territories. A basic ordering agreement is not a contract but is a written understanding, negotiated between USDA and a company. It establishes terms for future contracts during a specific period, describes what will be provided and how future orders will be priced, issued and delivered under the contract. A BOA does not authorize companies to ship products and does not guarantee future work.
In the ongoing second round of purchasing and distribution, which began July 1st and will conclude Aug. 31, 2020, USDA has purchased over $1 billion of food, extended contracts of select vendors from the first round of the program worth up to $1.27 billion and approved up to $202 million in new contracts to increase the focus on Opportunity Zones in order to direct food to reach underserved areas, places where either no boxes have yet been delivered, or where boxes are being delivered but where there is additional need.
The first round of purchases totaling up to $1.2 billion occurred from May 15 through June 30, 2020 and saw more than 35.5 million boxes delivered in the first 45 days.
I leave in Denton, I am low income on Medicare and I had in last month $500 expenssises for CoPay for Medical tests. My daughter without a job before the pandemic get help only in money from my social security! All what I can find in Denton right now are canned boxes donated to some church pantries by members of church.( very rare, some other fresher food). Where are distribution for such Farmers for Family boxes in Denton, Texas ? ( phone number, address, their website with clear details. ). It is hard to find very clear on Internet such information. Maybe you can request and provide for everybody a list by state, cities, organizations, and address. Any great government initiative is lost if those who need to know are unable to use it, despite being the lucky one with internet. Unfortunately, locals does not look like to realy fullfil their jobs, and many times this is the cause of increased lack of trust in authorities ( intentional or unintentional), while media is without any morality
Here are a few links with some more information for Denton County.
United Way
https://www.unitedwaydenton.org/denton-county-food-pantries
Denton Hunger Coalition Facebook Page
https://www.facebook.com/DentonHungerCoalition/
The next Mobile Food Pantry event in Denton is Sept. 12
https://www.facebook.com/events/707589113117741/
Denton Community Food Center
http://www.dentoncfc.org/
What if people are not using the boxes?
My neighbors and I have been recieving them send we live in an apartment complex in Denton. These boxes have been a blessing for our household; however, my neighbors have been throwing their boxes in the dumpster… they say they don’t trust the quality of the food. I noticed our neighborhood orders a lot of food and take out. I watched as 4 gallons of milk were thrown in to the dumpster despite my encouragement to give the milk to someone else.
I’m glad this initiative is started, but how is it being regulated and can consumers give feedback about the program?
You can send comments and questions to this email address: FFFBquestions@usda.gov. Thanks!
Looking for farmers to families around Austin Texas