[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 216 (Friday, November 7, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 60216]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-29426]
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Notices
Federal Register
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This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
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Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 216 / Friday, November 7, 1997 /
Notices
[[Page 60216]]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Consumer Service
The Emergency Food Assistance Program Availability of Commodities
for Fiscal Year 1998
AGENCY: Food and Consumer Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This notice announces the surplus and purchased commodities
that the Department expects to make available for donation to States
for use in providing food assistance to the needy under the Emergency
Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) in Fiscal Year (FY) 1998. The
commodities made available under this notice shall, at the discretion
of the State, be distributed to organizations for use in preparing
meals, and/or for distribution to households for home consumption.
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 1997.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lillie Ragan, Assistant Branch Chief,
Program Administration Branch, Food Distribution Division, Food and
Consumer Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 3101 Park Center
Drive, Alexandria, Virginia 22302-1594 or telephone (703) 305-2662.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background and Need for Action
Surplus Commodities
Surplus commodities donated for distribution under TEFAP are
Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) commodities determined to be
available for donation by the Secretary of Agriculture under the
authority of section 416 of the Agricultural Act of 1949, 7 U.S.C. 1431
(hereinafter referred to as section 416) and commodities purchased
under the surplus removal authority of section 32 of the Act of August
24, 1935, 7 U.S.C. 612c (hereinafter referred to as section 32). The
types of commodities typically made available under section 416 include
dairy, grains, oils, and peanut products. The types of commodities
purchased under section 32 include meat, poultry, fish, vegetables, and
fruits. Donations of surplus commodities were initiated in 1981 as part
of the Department's efforts to reduce stockpiles of government-owned
commodities, such as cheese, flour, butter, and cornmeal, which had
been acquired under section 416. These donations responded to concern
over the costs to taxpayers of storing large quantities of foods, while
at the same time there were persons in need of food assistance. The
authority to donate surplus commodities for distribution through TEFAP
is currently codified in Section 202 of the Emergency Food Assistance
Act (EFAA) of 1983 (7 U.S.C. 7502).
In recent years, the supply of surplus commodities has been
drastically reduced. These reductions are the result of changes in the
agricultural price-support programs which have brought supply and
demand into better balance, and accelerated donations and sales. The
Department anticipates that there will be sufficient quantities of
nonfat dry milk available for donation under section 416, and dried
navy beans and dried prunes purchased under section 32, to support the
donation of these commodities for distribution through TEFAP in FY
1998. While sufficient quantities of these commodities are anticipated
to be available in FY 1998 to support such donations, the Department
would like to point out that commodity acquisitions are based on
changing agricultural market conditions; therefore, the above
commodities may not be available for donation in FY 1998, or additional
types of surplus commodities may become available.
Purchased Commodities
Congress responded to the reduced availability of surplus
commodities with section 104 of the Hunger Prevention Act of 1988, Pub.
L. 100-435, which added sections 213 and 214 to the EFAA. Those
sections required the Secretary to purchase commodities for
distribution to States in addition to those surplus commodities which
otherwise might be provided to States for distribution under TEFAP.
Pursuant to section 871(d) of the Personal Responsibility and Work
Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, Pub. L. 104-193, Congress
repealed the authorization of funds for food purchases under section
214. In addition, section 871(g) added a new section 27 to the Food
Stamp Act of 1977 under which the Secretary is required to use $100
million from the funds made available to carry out the Food Stamp Act
for each of FYs 1997 through 2002 to purchase a variety of nutritious
and useful commodities and distribute the commodities to States for
distribution through TEFAP.
For FY 1998, the Department anticipates purchasing for distribution
through TEFAP the following commodities: peanut butter, roasted
peanuts, rice, macaroni, spaghetti, grits, fortified cereal, bakery
mix, nonfat dry milk, egg mix, dehydrated potatoes, dehydrated soup
mix, corn syrup, vegetable oil, dry bagged beans, raisins, the
following canned foods: apple juice, applesauce, peaches, pears,
vegetarian beans, refried beans, green beans, potatoes, tomatoes,
tomato sauce, tomato juice, corn, orange juice, grapefruit juice,
plums, pineapple, pork, salmon, tuna, beef, and chicken, as well as the
following frozen foods: ground beef, ground turkey, cut-up chicken, and
turkey roasts. The amounts of each item purchased will depend on the
prices USDA 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 commodities or the non-availability
of one or more types listed above. Once USDA has made the commodities
available to States, State officials will be responsible for
determining how to allocate the State's ``fair share'' to eligible
organizations. States have full discretion in determining the amount of
commodities that will be made available to organizations for
distribution to needy households for use in home-prepared meals or for
providing prepared meals to the needy at congregate feeding sites.
Dated: October 28, 1997.
Yvette S. Jackson,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 97-29426 Filed 11-6-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-U
