This final rule revises regulations for the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), and USDA Foods disaster response regulations. This final rule makes improvements in USDA’s food distribution programs.
This USDA Foods in disasters guidance manual contains important information for persons in FNS headquarters, FNS regional offices, and distributing agencies, which include state distributing agencies and Indian Tribal Organizations that are charged with the responsibility of providing USDA Foods to disaster relief organizations in the event of a disaster, emergency, or situation of distress.
FNS Form 292A is to be used to report Commodity Distribution for Disaster Relief.
This USDA Foods in disasters guidance memorandum consolidates and clarifies select disaster/emergency policies and procedures applicable to the CSFP, the FDPIR and TEFAP.
This proposed rule would implement Section 4018 of the Agricultural Act of 2014. Section 4018 created new limitations on the use of federal funds authorized in the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program promotion and outreach activities.
Through the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 20 13 (PL 11 3-2), States affected by Hurricane Sandy are provided with $5.7 million in supplemental funding for TEFAP. The assistance was initially offered to twelve States and the District of Columbia that were directly affected by Hurricane Sandy, based on major disaster declarations and eligibility for individual assistance by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). In total, nine States accepted at least some supplemental assistance; funding that was not accepted by certain States was reallocated proportionately to the remaining States. The attached worksheet shows the amounts that each State will receive as USDA Foods and administrative funds.
On Jan. 29, 201 3, President Barack Obama signed the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act 2013, providing TEFAP with $6 million in supplemental funding. The Act gives the Secretary authority to provide these funds to the States affected by Hurricane Sandy without regard to the formula normally used to allocate TEFAP entitlement foods and administrative funding among the States. In addition, the Act also gives the Secretary authority to provide the supplemental funding as USDA Foods, administrative funds, or both.
This policy memorandum consolidates requirements for the SDA when reporting the distribution of donated foods, and when requesting the replacement of such foods, in disasters, emergencies and situations of distress.
This USDA Foods in disasters guidance policy memorandum is the result of activities undertaken to plan a government-wide response to a potential human pandemic and addresses the operation of its USDA food programs during a major pandemic event.
This cancellation memo explains that policy memoranda FD-063, Household Eligibility Determinations for Disaster or Emergency Evacuees Residing with a Host Family (dated Dec. 4, 2006), and FD-072, FDPIR Households Displaced During a Disaster (dated Feb. 19, 2008), are cancelled.