Foreign Operations Appropriations for 1964

Supplemental Food Program

The Agriculture-Environmental and Consumer Protection Appropriation Act, 1973, also provided funds for a pilot food certificate program. During 1973, 10,311 mothers and children received $992,407 in food certificates which could be used at retail outlets to purchase milk and baby cereals. The program is operating in Bibb County, Georgia; Cock County, Illinois; Brazos County, Texas; Newport-St. Johnsbury, Vermont; and Yakima County, Washington.

Cash Payments in Lieu of Commodities

Public Law 93-13 authorized for 1973 the payment of cash from section 32 funds. This was the difference between the budgeted commodities to be distributed to school food service programs under section 6 of the National School Lunch Act, section 416 of the Agricultural Act of 1949, and section 32, and the amount of commodities, estimated to be delivered in 1973. The estimate was based on the outlook as of March 15, 1973. The cash payment amounted to $70,796,798 for 1973.

Commodity Program Operating Expenses

1. Procurement and distribution of commodities. The procurement of commodities under section 32 is carried out by the Agricultural Marketing Service. Distribution of commodities (Section 32 and 416-CCC) to eligible domestic outlets is done by the Food and Nutrition Service.

Commodities are shipped at the request of State agencies. The
Federal government pays all costs to central State receiving
points. These costs may include processing and packaging, as well
as transportation. The State agencies accept the commodities at
their central receiving points and are responsible for distribution
to the final users. State agencies establish, with USDA concurrence,
standards for participation and approve eligible recipients. State
agencies are usually responsible for overall supervision of the
program to insure that the commodities are effectively used and
that waste or resale is avoided.

Needy family program. In keeping with the National interest to end poverty-related hunger in the United States, the major objective of the Food Distribution Program was to ensure that eligible households received the maximum benefits available. During FY 1973 we continued to offer highly palatable and nutritious foods. The food package available during the first half of the year consisted of over 20 items which, if accepted and used in the quantities recommended by USDA, would provide over 100 percent of the recommended dietary allowances for six of the seven basic nutrients and 76 percent of the food energy necessary for good nutrition.

As a part of our overall effort to extend benefits to all eligible recipients, the Drive to Serve program was continued. It is designed to help meet the food assistance needs of

elderly and handicapped recipients who are unable to pick up
their own donated foods at distribution centers. The program
provides a delivery system utilizing the services of volun-
teers of the American Red Cross, Future Farmers of America,
and U.S. Jaycees, as well as similar national organizations.
In addition, a book of recipies especially geared to the needs
of the elderly has been made available for the Drive to Serve
program. A recent expansion has made this program available
in Brockton, Massachusetts and Napa, California as well as the
original five areas.

In our continuing effort to improve needy family distribution programs, operating expense funds were once again offered to the States. Twenty-eight States, five qutlying territories, and three Indian Reservations accepted $16.3 million which helped them to defray program operating costs. At the beginning of the fiscal year, two counties in Georgia and one in Alabama were still directly operated by USDA. At the end of the year, only Elmore County, Alabama remained.

Participation in the food distribution programs for needy
families declined in FY 1973, as more counties transferred to
the Food Stamp Program. The peak participation occurred in
July 1972, when approximately 2.8 million persons received
food in 1,062 project areas. By the end of the fiscal year,
participation had decreased to 2.4 million persons in 977
project areas.

Over 981 million pounds of food valued at $255 million were
provided to needy families during the year. The foods
distributed in June 1973 and the number of administrative
units receiving each are shown below:

Number of Administrative Units (Counties, Cities, Indian Agencies, and
Outlying Areas) Distributing Specific Foods: