3rd Round of USDA Food Box Purchases on the Way

Posted by Paul Rusnak|July 28, 2020

USDA is set to launch a third round of Farmers to Families Food Box Program purchases, with distributions to begin by September 1 and completed by Oct. 31, 2020. The purchases will spend the balance of $3 billion authorized for the program set up to provide coronavirus relief.

According to USDA, more than 49 million Farmers to Families Food Boxes have been invoiced and delivered as of July 28.

“This third round of Farmers to Families Food Box Program purchases is a testament to the great work done by vendors in support of American agriculture and the American people,” stated U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue. “It is also a testament that the program is accomplishing what we intended – supporting U.S. farmers and distributors and getting food to those who need it most.”

In the second round of Food Box purchases, which began July 1 and will run to Aug. 31, USDA extended contracts of select vendors from the first round of the program worth up to $1.27 billion. Additionally in the second round, the government agency approved up to $202 million in new contracts, via acquisition activity, with select vendors whose offers were not previously accepted due to various issues in their proposals.

Eligibility in the third round will be open to entities who can meet the government’s requirements and specifications, according to USDA. Proposals will be expected to illustrate how coverage will be provided 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.