The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) seeks comments on the development, coordination, and implementation of food purchase and distribution programs intended to provide additional aid to nonprofits serving Americans in need of nutrition assistance.
If implemented, the program will serve as a successor to the temporary food box purchase program created in April 2020 in response to the rapidly developing crisis within the food supply chain and increased joblessness due to COVID-19. While the food box effort served some communities well, it faced challenges in others.
Comments can be submitted through midnight ET on March 31, 2021, via an online portal or by email to AMSCOVIDStimulus@usda.gov. We welcome feedback from all interested parties, and we appreciate an early response. Additional information is available on the AMS website.
In addition, AMS will host a listening session to provide groups and individuals an opportunity to share their views on how USDA can best serve people in need of food assistance as well as the industry through this program. All interested stakeholders are invited to attend. Stakeholders are also invited to register to provide oral comments during the session.
Listening Session Information
The listening session will be conducted via webinar using ZOOM.
Date and Time:
March 22, 2021, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. ET
Registration:
Click here to register.Registration will remain open until the start of the event or until the session is full. However, you must register by midnight ET on March 17, 2021, to provide oral comments during the listening session. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. Registrants who request to speak will be contacted by a staff member and must participate in a practice session to test audio requirements. A moderator will introduce speakers, and speaking time is no more than three minutes.
AMS will make the agenda for the session available on the website by March 19, 2021.
Articles are property of CCM; please seek permission from CCM for the use of articles.
