COVID-19: Promoting Fresh Produce Purchases and Consumption
USDA launches farmers to families program
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) on April 24, 2020, released its solicitation for proposals for the Farmers to Families food box program to purchase and distribute $100 million a month of fresh fruit and vegetables for approximately six months. USDA will award contracts for the purchase of fresh fruits and vegetables, the assembly of commodity boxes, and delivery to identified food banks, food pantries, churches, schools, community groups, and other non-profit and governmental organizations that can receive and distribute food items.
View Solicitation and RFP Documents
The Farmers to Families program is designed to purchase $100 million per month in fresh produce from regional and local distributors. United Fresh hosted an informational webinar on Thursday, April 23 with USDA’s AMS.
On Friday, May 8, USDA’s AMS announced the companies being awarded through the program.
On Monday, May 11, United Fresh wrote the following letter to USDA’s AMS seeking answers to questions about the program.
United Fresh letter to USDA
USDA Response Letter
On May 14, United Fresh and the Produce Marketing Association sent a letter to the USDA following the USDA’s Farmers to Families Food Box selection process, offering assistance with the Program.