CONGRESSMAN JOE MORELLE FIGHTS TO ENSURE FAMILIES HAVE ACCESS TO FOOD SECURITY
Calls on USDA to address harmful changes to Farmers to Families Food Box program that will harm those who rely on assistance to feed their families
(Rochester, NY) – Today, Congressman Joe Morelle called on U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue to address the harmful, last-minute changes his office has made to the Farmers to Families Food Box (FFFB) program that will make it more difficult for vulnerable Americans to receive food assistance.
"Millions of Americans struggle to put food on their tables—a crisis that has been severely exacerbated by the impacts of COVID-19," said Congressman Joe Morelle. "Programs like Farmers to Families Food Box are essential to helping those in need obtain healthy and reliable meals. I am calling on the USDA to work with foodbanks and distributors to put our most vulnerable Americans first and ensure this program remains accessible to all."
This past spring, as millions of American families were left without access to food during a global public health crisis and farmers were throwing away their supplies, the FFFB program filled a critical gap in services that provided fresh, local food products to those who needed it while making our farmers financially whole. Recently, the USDA announced changes that would deny previous contracts, making it more difficult to connect foodbanks and distributors across regions and resulting in fewer families benefiting from the program.
"Now is not the time to be cutting corners and selling Americans short," Congressman Joe Morelle added. "We need the USDA to explain and address these onerous changes now and take action to ensure families are not left hungry."
46 other members of the House of Representative joined Congressman Morelle in signing the letter.
The full letter is below.
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