As farmers learn more about the payments planned through the Market Facilitation Program, the $16 billion package also includes up to $1.4 billion in commodity purchases. The Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service will purchase surplus commodities to be distributed to food banks, schools and other outlets serving low-income individuals.
Specifically, USDA will spend up to $432 million to purchase U.S. poultry products, $208 million of pork and $200 of processed fruit and vegetable products. Additionally, USDA will buy $151 million of beef, $104 million worth of citrus products, $88 million of U.S. apples and $68 million of dairy products.
The Agricultural Marketing Service will buy affected products in four phases, starting after October 1, 2019, with deliveries beginning in January 2020. The products will be distributed to states for use in food banks and food pantries that participate in The Emergency Feeding Assistance Program, elderly feeding programs such as the Commodity Supplemental Foods Program, and tribes that operate the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations.