USDA's Commodity Purchasing Program
The USDA is offering suppliers a new resource for selling their commodities. USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service purchases more than $530 million and 1.1 billion pounds of fresh and processed fruits and vegetables every year. With the American grown items, the USDA helps feed 32 million school children and the purchased products are also distributed to food banks, disaster areas, and elsewhere it is needed.
The USDA purchases many varieties of fresh and processed fruits, vegetables, nuts and other specialty crops from qualified companies of all sizes, in volumes of several truckloads to several hundred truckloads. The Agricultural Marketing Service purchases items that range from fresh apples, cantaloupes, and carrots to almonds and walnuts, frozen berries, corn, peaches and potatoes.
Government food experts work to ensure that all items purchased are healthful and nutritious. They are also required to be low in fat, sugar and sodium and o domestic origin. The commodities must meet specified requirements and be certified to ensure quality. According to the USDA, the purchases help relieve pressure on American producers. They do this by helping to bring the nation's commodity supply in line with demand while providing high quality, nutritious food to the recipients of USDA's nutrition programs. The purchases also help mitigate further downward prices, stabilize market conditions, and stimulate the economy.
The USDA will be offering information about the program at PMA Fresh Summit at booth #4374 in Anaheim, October 26-28, 2012.
USDA
