TEFAP: Availability of Foods for FY 2019

This notice announces the surplus and purchased foods that the Department expects to make available for donation to states for use in providing nutrition assistance to the needy under The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) in fiscal year (FY) 2019. The foods made available under this notice must, at the discretion of the state, be distributed to eligible recipient agencies (ERAs) for use in preparing meals and/or for distribution to households for home consumption.

Dates

Implementation date: Oct. 1, 2018.

In accordance with the provisions set forth in the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983 (EFAA), 7 USC 7501, et seq., and the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, 7 USC 2036, the Department makes foods available to states for use in providing nutrition assistance to those in need through TEFAP. In accordance with section 214 of the EFAA, 7 USC 7515, 60 percent of each state's share of TEFAP foods is based on the number of people with incomes below the poverty level within the state and 40 percent on the number of unemployed persons within the state. State officials are responsible for establishing the network through which the foods will be used by ERAs in providing nutrition assistance to those in need and for allocating foods among those ERAs. States have full discretion in determining the amount of foods that will be made available to ERAs for use in preparing meals and/or for distribution to households for home consumption.

The types of foods the Department expects to make available to states for distribution through TEFAP in FY 2019 are listed in the table below.

Surplus Foods

Surplus foods donated for distribution under TEFAP are Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) foods purchased under the authority of section 416 of the Agricultural Act of 1949 (PL 81-439) (7 USC 1431- section 416) and foods purchased under the surplus removal authority of section 32 of the Act of Aug. 24, 1935, 7 USC 612c (section 32). The types of foods typically purchased under section 416 include dairy, grains, oils, and peanut products. The types of foods purchased under section 32 include meat, poultry, fish, vegetables, dry beans, juices, and fruits.

Approximately $242.07 million in surplus foods acquired in FY 2018 are being delivered to states in FY 2019. These foods include beans, blueberries, catfish, cheese, cherries, chicken, ground beef, lentils, milk, mixed fruit, peaches, plums, pork chops, raspberries, strawberries, tomato sauce, and turkey. Other surplus foods may be made available to TEFAP throughout the year. The Department would like to point out that food acquisitions are based on changing agricultural market conditions; therefore, the availability of foods is subject to change.

Purchased Foods

In accordance with section 27 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, 7 USC 2036, the Secretary is directed to purchase an estimated $294 million worth of foods in FY 2019 for distribution through TEFAP. These foods are made available to states in addition to those surplus foods which otherwise might be provided to states for distribution under TEFAP. For FY 2019, the Department anticipates purchasing the foods listed in the following table for distribution through TEFAP. The amounts of each item purchased will depend on the prices the Department must pay, as well as the quantity of each item requested by the states. Changes in agricultural market conditions may result in the availability of additional types of foods or the non-availability of one or more types listed in the table.