U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack Highlights Key Work in 2021 to Promote Food and Nutrition Security

WASHINGTON, Jan. 21, 2022 – Right now, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture problemd The subsequent assertion extremelighting key accomplishments To promote meals and vitamin safety On the Division of Agriculture As a Outcome of the Biden-Harris Administration took office on January 20, 2021.

“2021 as quickly as extra provided unparalleled challenges to People and institutions Simply like the USDA devoted to serving them in no matter circumstances They might face – most particularly hunger and vitamin insafety,” said Vilsack. “The measurement Of these trials Is merely rivaled by the magnitude of the efforts thOn the Biden-Harris Administration and the USDA have beneathtaken To fulfill them.”

Over the previous yr, hundreds of hundreds have proceedd struggling to make ends meet, to feed themselves and their households. USDA has taken steps to not solely enhance advantages by way of the host of packages out there To assist these in want, however to increase entry to these packages and revery out to these Which have been traditionally beneathserved.

Key USDA accomplishments all by way of 2021 embrace:

• Re-evaluated the Thrifty Food Plan, growing SNAP buying for power by 21%, greater assisting a Nutritious food regimen.
• Labored with school meals service staff to problem 19 Kinds of waivers To Enconstructive school cafeterias had The pliability they Desired to maintain serving 35 million youngsters throughout the nation every school day, and over the summer time, whereas contending with the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Expanded pandemic-EBT, growing advantages by roughly 15% and delivering virtually $42 billion in advantages for almost 33 million low-income and meals insecure youngsters that missed out on free meals when schools have been closed.
• Elevated emergency SNAP advantages by $1 billion for 25 million People Inside The backside-income households.
• Elevated assist for vitamin assist packages in US territories not served by SNAP To assist residents experiencing pandemic-associated hunger. A $30 million grant was problemd to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, vitamin assist for American Samoa was enhanced by 23%, and Puerto Rico acquired An further $966 million To assist its residents with a lot wanted vitamin assist.
• Invested $1.5 billion to assist The acquisitions of agricultural commodities To assist school vitamin professionals Enconstructive college students have reliable entry to healthful meals.
• Adjusted school meal reimbursements by an estimated $750 million To assist schools serve youngsters Through the rise in meals prices.
• Elevated meals assist by $37 million to low-income seniors by way of the Commodity Supplemental Food Program.
• Introduced an funding of $1 billion To buy healthful meals for meals insecure People and construct meals financial institution performance.
• Offered $490 million from the American Rescue Plan to incentivize The acquisition of Vegatables and fruits beneath WIC.
• Expanded partnerships for the SNAP On-line Purchasing Pilot Program To permit SNAP households in 46 States and the District of Columbia The selection To make the most of SNAP advantages To buy groceries online at hundreds of shops.
• Labored with the Division of Education to increase SNAP advantages To school college students all by way of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Invested almost $5 million To reinforce entry to healthful meals in beneathserved areas, to create and protect extreme quality jobs, and to revitalize low-income communities by way of the Healthy Food Financing Initiative.
• Invested $248 million in 10 new school feeding tasks anticipated To revenue Higher than A million weak youngsters and households in creating nations.
• Joined The worldwide School Meals Coalition, which goals to strengthen and increase school feeding packages throughout the globe to make nutritious meals out there for all youngsters by 2030.
• Highlighted Higher than $5 billion in deliberate fundings to fight hunger, poverty and construct extra sustainable, equitable and resilient meals methods Across the globe On the United Nations Food Systems Summit.
• Partnered with the Food and Drug Administration To Scale again heavy metallic content material in meals, notably meals for infants And youngsters.
• Launched the Food Access Evaluation Atlas interactive map for clients To raised entry to healthful meals.
• Developed algorithms To permit farmers and meals inspectors To foretell and decide Salmonella contamination As properly as to new know-how to get rid of dangerous microbes from current Vegatables and fruits.
• Invested Higher than $34 million by way of its Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP) to assist greater meals entry and vitamin safety for low-income and at-hazard communities.
• Invested Higher than $200 million in research, education, and innovation to deal with meals and vitamin insafety.

In 2022, USDA will proceed to prioritize The subsequent goals:

• Increasing participation in WIC by modernizing This method and making sure mom and father understand The worth of WIC, using $390 million from the American Rescue Plan Act.
• Supporting schools as they navigate the challenges of the pandemic and associated operational factors whereas furtherly making sure youngsters proceed to take pleasure in healthful meals At school.
• Evaluating all USDA vitamin assist packages To Enconstructive thOn they serve all People equitably, eradicating systemic obstacles Which will hinder sure teams from Collaborating.
• Persevering with USDA’s Think about vitamin safety, Not only During the pandemic, however properly into The Prolonged time period To Make constructive the numerous vitamin packages USDA provides are offering entry to nutritious meals for all these in want.

USDA touches the lives of all People every day in so many constructive methods. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s meals system with a greater Think about extra resilient native and regional meals manufacturing, fairer markets for all producers, making sure entry to healthful and nutritious meals in all communities, constructing new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using local climate smart meals and forestry practices, making historic fundings in infrastructure and clear power capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity throughout the Division by eradicating systemic obstacles and constructing a workforce extra consultant of America. To study extra, go to www.usda.gov.