USDA on June 4 announced The Emergency Food Assistance Program, a commitment to buy up to $1 billion in "healthy" food to restock food banks and to feed needy Americans. The funding includes $500 million in American Rescue Plan funding.
Building on lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, USDA will enter into cooperative agreements with state, tribal and local entities to more efficiently purchase food from local producers and invest in infrastructure that enables partner organizations to more effectively reach underserved communities.
In the coming months, USDA will make a series of additional investments under the Build Back Better initiative focused on building a better food system. Build Back Better efforts will improve access to nutritious food, address racial injustice and inequity as well as a changing climate, provide ongoing support for producers and workers, and create a more resilient food system.
