Political Quotes

“Madam Speaker, last week the press--not the Department of Agriculture--reported that the Trump administration's Farmers to Families Food Box Program would come to an end. In subsequent reporting and an unapologetic email from the USDA, it was made clear that the only reason for its termination was because of the man who created it. The Farmers to Families Food Box Program had open eligibility, making certain anyone and everyone in need, regardless of status, income, or household size, had supplementary access to fresh meats, dairy, and produce. Since May 2020, this program has provided more than 156 million boxes to households across the United States. Farmers to Families provided an alternative market for food intended for restaurants and food service, creating outlets for supply chains. Due to COVID this food could not easily be realigned to retail markets quickly enough to prevent spoilage. Even today, Farmers to Families provides fresh products in greater quantities than traditional emergency feeding programs--items such as dairy, meat, and fresh produce, which have always presented unique logistical challenges for distribution. The program reemployed workers in the commercial food distribution sector whose work was halted by the closure of restaurants, hotels, and other food service industries during COVID. {time} 1300 In my own district, L&M Farms, a participant in the program, managed to supply more than 600,000 boxes of fresh produce to those in need.…”