TEFAP Alliance Blog

March 2002

In This Issue:
• Reauthorization Being Considered In Farm Bill Conference
• All FY02 Funding Released
• Fiscal Year 2003 Budget Requests Status Quo
• More Bonus Foods Available or Being Considered

Reauthorization Being Considered In Farm Bill Conference
A House-Senate conference committee working on the Farm Bill is currently considering renewal of authority for TEFAP for the next 10 years. For commodity purchases under the program, the House would provide $140 million annually, while the Senate bill provides $150 million. Both bills require USDA to use $10 million of that total to help cover storage and distribution expenses.
Farm Bill conferees reportedly agreed upon a broad framework for dividing up $73.5 billion in new funding before leaving on March 22 for a two-week recess. The nutrition title of the bill has been allocated $6.4 billion, a figure about midway between the House’s $3.6 billion and the Senate’s $8.3 billion for new nutrition-related provisions. While members are home in their districts through April 9, Agriculture Committee staffers in Washington will be trying to negotiate the differences between the House and Senate bills. Final passage of the Farm Bill could come after Congress reconvenes on April 9.
Three California Representatives are among the key conferees deciding final provisions of the massive agriculture and commodity legislation. They are Gary Condit (D-Ceres), Calvin Dooley (D-Hanford), and Richard Pombo (R-Tracy).

All FY02 Funding Released
USDA’s Food Distribution Division (FDD) notified states and regions on March 25 that the final $5 million of fiscal year 2002 food funds being held back for possible use as administration/distribution money was being released to purchase commodities. A request to the Office of Management and Budget to allow states the option of re-programming their share of the $5 million was pulled because of the pending Farm Bill. Many Farm Bill provisions, including the one for TEFAP that mandates use of $10 million for storage and distribution, would take effect in this year, if passed soon.

Fiscal Year 2003 Budget Requests Status Quo
The Bush Administration released its fiscal year 2003 budget request last month and asked for level funding for TEFAP next year — $100 million for food purchases and $50 million for administration/distribution, the maximum amounts allowable under current law. If the Farm Bill passes, USDA may have the opportunity to raise TEFAP funding levels before the fiscal year 2003 appropriations bill is enacted.

More Bonus Foods Available or Being Considered
The FDD continues to make additional foods available to TEFAP agencies as USDA makes more purchases of commodities that are in surplus. Already in the delivery pipeline are canned pears, beef roasts, canned salmon, and instant non-fat dry milk, along with other items ordered last year. An order to buy asparagus is expected to be completed soon. In addition, FDD reports that representatives of the cherry and pineapple industries have begun negotiating to have the government purchase crop surpluses for commodity programs.

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WASHINGTON UPDATE is published for the TEFAP Alliance by Weinberg & Vauthier Consulting, 419 West Broad Street, Suite 204, Falls Church, VA 22046; telephone: (703) 532-5700; fax: (703) 532-5780; email: zyweinberg@earthlink.net.

mvauthier :: Mar.20.2002 :: Washington Update :: No Comments »:: Print This Post

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