[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 15 (Monday, January 24, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3650-3651]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-1575]


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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. 65, No. 15 / Monday, January 24, 2000 / 
Notices  

[[Page 3650]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


The Emergency Food Assistance Program, Availability of 
Commodities for Fiscal Year 2000

AGENCY:  Food and Nutrition 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) 2000. 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, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Lillie Ragan, Assistant Branch Chief, 
Household Programs Branch, Food Distribution Division, Food and 
Nutrition 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 
(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 
(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, dry beans, juices 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 of 1983, 7 U.S.C. 7502 
(EFAA).
    The supply of surplus commodities has been drastically reduced from 
the levels available in the early 1980s. These reductions are the 
result of changes in the agricultural commodity loan programs which 
have brought supply and demand into better balance, and accelerated 
donations and sales. However, this trend reversed itself beginning in 
FY 1997. In FY 1999, the Department purchased over $106.4 million worth 
of surplus commodities. The large surpluses were the result of the 
reduction in foreign sales due primarily to the Asian economic 
downturn. The following surplus commodities were purchased for donation 
in FY 1999 but will be delivered in the first quarter of FY 2000, 
because they did not become available for purchase until late in the 
year: frozen bison and instant nonfat dried milk. In addition to 
delivering these products for distribution in FY 2000, the Department 
anticipates that there will be sufficient quantities of nonfat dry milk 
available for donation under section 416, and salmon, pork, walnut 
pieces, trailmix, and canned chicken purchased under section 32, to 
support the donation of these commodities for distribution through 
TEFAP in FY 2000. The Department would like to point out that commodity 
acquisitions are based on changing agricultural market conditions; 
therefore, the availability of commodities is subject to change.

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 require 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 of the 
EFAA. In addition, section 871(g) added a new section 27 to the Food 
Stamp Act of 1977, 7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq. (FSA), under which the 
Secretary is required to use $100 million from the funds made available 
to carry out the FSA 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. However, Pub. L. 
106-78 (An Act making appropriations for the Agriculture, Rural 
Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies 
programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2000, and for other 
purposes), limits the amount of funds available to purchase TEFAP 
commodities in FY 2000 to $98 million. A separate administrative 
funding appropriation of $45 million, as divided among the States, may 
be used, in whole or in part, at the discretion of each State, by the 
Department for the purchase of additional commodities for TEFAP.
    For FY 2000, the Department anticipates purchasing the following 
commodities for distribution through TEFAP: fresh apples, peanut 
butter, roasted peanuts, rice, macaroni, spaghetti, egg noodles, oats, 
fortified cereal, bakery mix, egg mix, dehydrated potatoes, corn syrup, 
vegetable oil, dry bagged beans, raisins, prunes, the following canned 
foods: apple juice, applesauce, peaches, pears, plums, vegetarian 
beans, refried beans, green beans, potatoes, tomatoes, tomato sauce, 
vegetarian and tomato reduced-sodium soups, spaghetti sauce, tomato 
juice, corn, orange juice, grapefruit juice, pineapple juice, pork, 
tuna, beef, and chicken, as well as the following frozen foods: ground 
beef, whole chicken,

[[Page 3651]]

ground turkey, and turkey roasts. The amounts of each item purchased 
will depend on the prices the Department 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. 
State officials will be responsible for determining how to allocate the 
commodities each State receives among 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: January 11, 2000.
Samuel Chambers, Jr.,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 00-1575 Filed 1-20-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-U