USDA Secretary Perdue announced January 4 that the department will move forward with an additional $1.5 billion worth of food purchases as part of the Farmers to Families Food Box Program.
Funding for this fifth round of the program was included in the COVID-19 relief package supported by NPC, which was passed and signed into law in December.
USDA will issue a solicitation to over 240 organizations that have previously received Basic Ordering Agreements (BOA) with contract awards expected to be made by January 19. Deliveries of the combination boxes, which include fresh produce, dairy products, fluid milk and meat products, and seafood products, will begin shortly after contracts are awarded.