USDA Commodities Food Cancellations

 

MARYVILLE, Tenn. – On March 24, Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee, which serves 18 counties, had 21 tractor-trailer loads containing $722,000 worth of USDA commodities food canceled by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. For East Tennessee, the impact is immediate. This food was funded by the Commodities Credit Corporation (CCC), which is currently paused due to a federal review.

 

Families in East Tennessee who rely on food assistance may soon face shortages as major federal funding cuts to the USDA have disrupted food bank shipments nationwide. The cancellations, which represent more than 377,000 lbs. of nutritious proteins and dairy, were scheduled to arrive between April and July.

 

“The loss of these shipments is significant and impacts a critical element of our hunger-relief programs for communities in need,” said Executive Director, Elaine Streno.

 

These highly nutritious items were slated for distribution to food insecure individuals through programs like Mobile Pantry, Harvest to Home (which offers home-care food boxes to neighbors undergoing medical treatment), and Partner Agencies in Second Harvest’s service area.

 

Second Harvest is taking steps to replace the products. “While we’re concerned by the diminished capacity to serve our neighbors, we remain committed to strengthening food access for East Tennesseans and provide adequate nutrition for a healthy life,” said Elaine Streno. “This is a crucial time for our community to step up. We ask the public to continue supporting our hunger-relief efforts by hosting food drives and providing financial support.  Together, we will provide adequate nutrition for more than 200,000 individuals who experience food insecurity.”

 

For more information about Second Harvest’s food access programs, or to support: SecondHarvestETN.org

 

 

About Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee: 

Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee, a Partner Food Bank of Feeding America, has worked to compassionately feed East Tennesseans experiencing hunger since 1982. Last year, Second Harvest distributed more than 26.3 million pounds of food across an 18-county service area through eight hunger-relief programs and 670+ community partners. 

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