USDA Buying $470 Million Worth of Food From Farmers for Donations

The COVID-19 pandemic has done a number on many things from health to employment to the food chain. Many farmers have been hurting as a result, including dairy farmers here in Iowa. However, now according to Delish, the United States Department of Agriculture announced that they are buying $470 million worth of surplus meat, dairy, produce, and seafood from American farmers, which they will promptly donate to food banks.

The organization is set to purchase fruits, vegetables, dairy, meat and even seafood products from farmers and ranchers as part of this initiative.

A partial breakdown on food being purchased is:

• $30 million in chicken
• $120 million in dairy products
• $50 million in potatoes.

This will ease not only the burden placed on food banks, but the amount of food waste that has gone hand in hand with the pandemic.