Public Affairs
WASHINGTON, Oct. 18, 2022 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) today announced it has signed a cooperative agreement with Oregon under the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA). Through LFPA, the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) will purchase and distribute locally grown, produced, and processed food from underserved producers.
“USDA is excited to partner with Oregon to promote economic opportunities for farmers and producers and to increase access to locally sourced, fresh, healthy, and nutritious food in underserved communities,” said USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny Lester Moffitt. “The Local Food Purchase Cooperative Agreement Program will improve food and agricultural supply-chain resiliency and increase local food consumption around the country.”
Through the LFPA program, ODHS will work with Oregon Food Bank (OFB) to improve supply chain resiliency by providing funds to growers, ranchers, seafood harvesters, food distribution organizations, and processors who will then distribute products to their local and regional communities.
"As communities in Oregon continue to be impacted by COVID-19 and the rising cost of food, we know that many are experiencing hardship and are struggling to get enough healthy food for themselves and their children,” said Jana McLellan, interim director of the ODHS Self-Sufficiency Programs. "We are grateful to play a part in connecting individuals and families with fresh, nutritious food grown by local producers."
USDA’s Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program provides up to $900 million through non-competitive cooperative agreements to enable state, territory and tribal governments to support local, regional and underserved producers, and maintain or improve food and agricultural supply chain resiliency through the purchase of food produced within the state or within 400 miles of delivery destination. Funding for the program comes from the American Rescue Plan and the Commodity Credit Corporation.
AMS looks forward to continuing to sign agreements under this innovative program that allows state and tribal governments to procure and distribute local and regional foods and beverages that are healthy, nutritious, and unique to their geographic area.
More information about the program is available on AMS’s Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program webpage.
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