[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
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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 
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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