AG INSIGHT Summer food program shows dramatic increase due to COVID The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) provided meals to 4.7 million children each day across more than 37,000 sites in July 2020, the month when the program’s operations typically peak. Overall, throughout fiscal year (FY) 2020, the SFSP served about 1.3 billion meals and snacks at a cost of $4.1 billion. The number of meals served through SFSP and expenditures on the program were 8.9 and 8.7 times greater than in FY 2019, respectively. These increases can be attributed to rising food needs during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and USDA’s response to meet those needs, which included waivers expanding the scope and coverage of SFSP. The program expanded rapidly in the early months of the pandemic, serving about 564.4 million meals from March through May 2020. Comparatively, only 1.2 million meals were served over the same period in 2019.
USDA to launch food labeling review In the wake of a recent Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) vote to strengthen its enforcement of the “Made in USA” standard, USDA has announced it will complement that effort with an initiative to bolster 8
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the labeling of products regulated by its Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). USDA announced last year its plans to conduct its own rulemaking to address the concern that the voluntary “Product of USA” label may confuse consumers about the origin of FSIS regulated products. After considering the many comments received by the FTC and USDA on this issue, USDA is initiating a top-to-bottom review of the “Product of USA” label that will help determine what that label means to consumers, said Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. Among other things, comments on meat labeling suggested the current “Product of the USA” stamp may not be as accurate and transparent as both consumers and producers want.
Financial help available for livestock, poultry producers Livestock and poultry producers who suffered losses during the pandemic due to insufficient access to processing can apply for assistance for those losses and the cost of depopulation and disposal of the animals. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program (PLIP) during the recent National Pork Industry Conference in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. The program is part of USDA’s Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative. The application process at USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) began in July and continues through Sept. 17. The Consolidated Appropriations Act authorized payments to producers for losses of livestock or poultry depopulated from March 1, 2020, through Dec. 26, 2020, due to insufficient processing access as a result of the pandemic. PLIP payments will be based on 80% of the fair market value of the livestock and poultry and for the cost of depopulation and disposal of the animal. Eligible livestock and poultry include swine, chickens and turkeys, but pork producers are expected to be the primary recipients of the assistance. Packers, live poultry dealers and contract growers are not eligible for PLIP. For more information on how to apply and for a copy of the notice of funding availability, visit farmers.
