State programs connect farmers and food banks as USDA efforts struggle - Entrepreneur Generations

Farmers and ranchers in many states are working to fill a mutual need during the pandemic. Farmers across the country were left without buyers as the pandemic shut down restaurants. And as millions of Americans lost their jobs, the need for food banks skyrocketed. So, more than a dozen states have created or expanded programs that pay farmers to send surplus produce to food banks, Alex Brown reports for Stateline.

"Several other states have created or expanded online marketplaces for their farmers and ranchers as many transition to direct-to-customer sales. The programs are a boon as 17 million Americans face food insecurity as a result of the pandemic, according to Feeding America, a hunger-relief organization," Brown reports. "Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has launched its own $3 billion effort to buy food from farmers and deliver it to food banks. The program delivered 50 million food boxes by the end of July, but has been plagued by controversial contracts, disparities in distribution and difficulties in the supply chain, according to news reports as the program rolled out. The department did not respond to questions."

from The Rural Blog https://ift.tt/3h3GmyC State programs connect farmers and food banks as USDA efforts struggle - Entrepreneur Generations

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