USDA Accepting Applications for Local Procurement of Food Assistance

Contact: FAS Food Assistance Division (202) 720-4221

WASHINGTON, July 14, 2016–The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is accepting applications for projects to be funded in fiscal year 2016 under the Local and Regional Food Aid Procurement (LRP) program authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill. 

Through the LRP program, USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) will work with partners to implement field-based projects in developing countries through the use of locally procured commodities. These efforts will complement existing U.S. government food assistance programs, especially the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program, which supports school feeding and maternal and child nutrition projects around the world. Congress appropriated $5 million through the McGovern-Dole program to support LRP projects in fiscal year 2016.

“Several studies, as well as a number of pilot projects authorized by the 2008 Farm Bill, have demonstrated that locally procured food assistance works as part of our overall food assistance strategy,” said USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services Jonathan Cordone. “We know from USDA’s own ‘Farm to School’ initiatives that bringing locally grown foods into schools helps children and local growers. With LRP we can bring those same benefits to our international school meals programs by providing new foods, like fresh fruits and vegetables, and supporting the ability of those communities to feed themselves. This program provides an important new tool to combat hunger and malnutrition.”

FAS expects to fund two to three projects in fiscal year 2016 and has designated four priority countries: Haiti, Laos, Mozambique and Rwanda. Application guidance can be found at www.fas.usda.gov/programs/local-and-regional-food-aid-procurement or by contacting the FAS Food Assistance Division at FAD_Contact@fas.usda.gov  or (202) 720-4221.

The final rule implementing the LRP program was published in the Federal Register on July 1, 2016, and can be viewed online at https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2016/07/01/2016-15537/local-an….

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