On April 24, 2020, USDA released a solicitation and information on the $3 billion Food Box Distribution Program, which was announced the week prior by Secretary Perdue. This program is open to food producers, processors, and distributors that will supply food commodities including milk and a variety of dairy products to food banks, schools and non-profit organizations. On Wednesday, April 29 at 11:00 a.m. ET, IDFA President & CEO Michael Dykes, D.V.M., hosted this web-based briefing alongside other IDFA experts to help break down this important new program for IDFA members, including how to create a proposal that is responsive to USDA’s set of guidelines for the new initiative. Proposals are due to USDA no later than Friday, May 1.
The Food Box Distribution Program is administered by USDA AMS. The program will procure an estimated $300 million per month in fresh fruits and vegetables, fresh milk and a variety of dairy products, and pre-cooked pork and chicken products to provide to food banks and other non-profits serving Americans in need. USDA will award contracts for the purchase of the agricultural products, the assembly of commodity boxes and delivery to identified non-profit organizations that can receive, store and distribute food items. To learn more about the Food Box Distribution Program, see IDFA's analysis in this IDFA Blog.
Find slides from this presentation here.