USDA will purchase an additional $1.5 billion in food nationwide for distribution via the Farmers to Families Food Box Program. The fifth round of food box purchases comes via funding provided via the COVID aid plan approved December 21.
The effort will utilize organizations that previously participated and solicitations are expected to be issued by the end of this week. Seafood products will now be eligible along with other hard, semi-firm or semi-soft cheeses will be included. As of January 4,
USDA said that 132.5 million Food Boxes had been invoiced. Contracts are expected to be awarded by January 19 with deliveries to begin shortly thereafter and continue through the end of April.
This puts to rest speculation on whether USDA would operate another round of the popular program which many have viewed as a success.