[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 244 (Tuesday, December 19, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79340-79341]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-32287]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


The Emergency Food Assistance Program Availability of Commodities 
for Fiscal Year 2001

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) 2001. 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, 2000.

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. Because of changes in the 
agricultural commodity loan programs which have brought supply and 
demand into better balance, and accelerated donations and sales, the 
supply of surplus commodities has been reduced from the early 1980s. 
However, this trend reversed itself beginning in FY 1997. In FY 2000, 
the Department purchased over $159.5 million worth of surplus 
commodities. Most of these were purchased with Section 32 funds. 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).
    In FY 2001, the Department anticipates that there will be 
sufficient quantities of nonfat dry milk available for donation under 
section 416, and raisins and frozen lamb under section 32, to support 
the distribution of these commodities through TEFAP in FY 2001. 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. Approximately half of 
the surplus commodities purchased in FY 2000 will be delivered in FY 
2001. These commodities include frozen lamb roasts, frozen sausage, 
trail mix, dried cranberries, dried and frozen cherries, frozen 
strawberries, frozen and canned peaches, fresh and canned pears, figs, 
almonds, and the following canned items: cranberry sauce, applesauce, 
apricots, grape juice, cranapple juice, apple juice, and tomato 
products.
    In addition to the surplus commodities the Department expects to 
make available under sections 416 and 32, the Agricultural Risk 
Protection Act of 2000, Public Law 106-224, makes

[[Page 79341]]

$200 million available for use in purchasing specialty crops that 
experienced low prices during the 1998 and 1999 crop years. These 
include apples, black-eyed peas, cherries, citrus crops, cranberries or 
cranberry products, onions, melons, peaches, and potatoes. Section 816 
of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, 
and Related Activities Appropriation Act of 2001 (Public Law 106-387) 
requires that not less than $30 million of the total $200 million be 
used for cranberry products. A significant amount of these commodities 
will be made available for distribution through TEFAP in FY 2001.

Purchased Commodities

    Congress responded to the reduced availability of surplus 
commodities with section 104 of the Hunger Prevention Act of 1988, 
Public Law 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. Under section 
871(d) of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity 
Reconciliation Act of 1996, Public Law 104-193, Congress repealed the 
authorization of funds for food purchases under section 214 of the 
EFAA. However, 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. In addition to the $100 million, 
the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and 
Related Activities Appropriation Act of 2001 (Pub. L. 106-387), 
provides a separate administrative funding appropriation of $45 million 
that is allocated among States in the same manner as commodities. At 
the discretion of each State, any funds remaining after the State has 
met the EFAA requirement that at least 40 percent of all funds received 
must be provided to cover the direct expenses of emergency feeding 
organizations may be used by the Department to purchase additional 
commodities for TEFAP (7 U.S.C. 7508).
    For FY 2001, the Department anticipates purchasing the following 
commodities for distribution through TEFAP: Dehydrated potatoes, corn 
syrup, egg mix, blackeye beans, great northern beans, kidney beans, 
lima beans, pinto beans, prunes, raisins, bakery mix, lowfat bakery 
mix, egg noodles, white corn grits, macaroni, oats, peanut butter, 
rice, spaghetti, vegetable oil, rice cereal, corn flakes, corn squares, 
oat cereal, frozen ground beef, frozen chicken, frozen turkey roast, 
and the following canned items: Green beans, refried beans, vegetarian 
beans, cream corn, whole kernel corn, sliced potatoes, spaghetti sauce, 
tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato soup, vegetarian soup, apple juice, 
grapefruit juice, orange juice, pineapple juice, tomato juice, peaches, 
pineapples, applesauce, pears, plums, beef, beef stew, chicken, pork, 
tuna, and roasted peanuts. In addition, the Department expects to 
purchase the following new items: Frozen ham, bran flakes, canned 
carrots, and cranapple juice. 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: December 12, 2000.
George A. Braley,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 00-32287 Filed 12-18-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-U