Public Affairs
WASHINGTON, Jan. 19, 2022--The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) today announced major accomplishments during the first year of the Biden-Harris administration’s efforts to build more and better markets for U.S. farmers and ranchers.
“During 2021 AMS advanced bold solutions to reduce food insecurity and ensure everyone across the nation has consistent access to safe, healthy, affordable food while improving market opportunities for local and regional food systems as well as and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers,” said Marketing and Regulatory Programs Under Secretary Jenny Lester Moffitt. “We look forward to building on this momentum in 2022 as we continue to provide tools to enable farmers, ranchers, and consumers to access markets that are fair, competitive, distributed, and resilient.”
This past fiscal year, AMS implemented a $400 million program to facilitate donation of dairy products and reduce food waste. Other AMS initiatives such as the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative awards up to $400 million through non-competitive agreements with state and tribal governments to procure domestic local foods and beverages. Additional AMS grants totaled $323.3 million across nine existing programs. AMS delivered purchases valued at $705.4 million to food banks, soup kitchens, the elderly, and tribal organizations, supporting 34 agricultural markets. Combining innovative procurement methods with flexible product specifications AMS secured about 17.5 million pounds of canned vegetables valued at $18.8 million, and 1.7 million pounds of hams valued at $4.6 million to meet customer needs.
Contending with the epidemic also required innovation and rapid response. AMS fashioned the $350 million Pandemic Market Volatility Assistance Program in less than four months to provide payments to 25,000 dairy farmers impacted by COVID-19. The agency designed, and implemented new congressionally authorized relief programs, totaling $1.9 billion, to aid farmers, food processors, and other agricultural stakeholders squeezed financially by the pandemic’s grip. In collaboration with USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service, AMS awarded $13.1 million in contracts to purchase 1.7 million individual boxes of pre-packed, mixed fresh fruits and vegetables for emergency food assistance delivered to 42 states including Guam. AMS purchased an additional $695.3 million in agricultural food products for food banks, elderly programs, and tribal organizations utilizing COVID relief funding. Total purchases in Fiscal Year 2021 represented a 79% increase over typical purchases for nutrition and food assistance programs.
AMS incorporates flexibility in designing partnerships with farmers and ranchers to suit their needs, accommodate environmental and climate conditions, account for seasonal harvests, and meet requirements of populations within their areas.
Each day USDA positively impacts lives by helping feed, fuel and clothe the nation and world, and by confronting major challenges like climate change and hunger to make a meaningful difference in the lives of everyone in America. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy, and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate-smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America.
USDA is committed to equity across its workforce by removing systemic barriers and building a department more representative of America. Nearly 100,000 USDA employees work collaboratively to support one another and deliver our programs with integrity and compassion to the people we serve. Visit www.usda.gov to learn more.
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USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.
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