USDA invests $46 million in efforts to address food and nutrition security

October 21, 2024 - The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced an investment of more than $46 million in projects aimed to tackle food and nutrition insecurity in underserved communities, as well as support healthy diets by providing access to fruits and vegetables for eligible families.

These funds support efforts across the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture's (NIFA) Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program (CFPCGP) and Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP).

"Healthy, safe and affordable food is essential for a strong start for children and a healthy life for all of us," said Deputy Secretary of agriculture Xochitl Torres Small. "Through these investments, the Biden Harris Administration is investing in healthy food options for people no matter where they live and supporting stronger local and regional food systems."

The investment provides funding to 20 CFPCGP projects, which brings together stakeholders from distinct parts of the food system and fosters understanding of national food security trends and how they might work together to improve local food systems. This investment is expected to catalyse small production agriculture, increase food access in low-income communities, increase community engagement in planning for food security solutions and bridge gaps in local food systems.

Named in honour of the former USDA Under Secretary of Agriculture for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services (1997-2001) Gus Schumacher, GusNIP grant programs include Nutrition Incentives and Produce Prescriptions. By bringing together stakeholders from various parts of the food and healthcare systems, GusNIP projects help foster understanding to improve the health and nutrition of participating households, facilitate growth in underrepresented communities and geographies and aggregate data to identify and improve best practices in a broad scale.

14 awardees are receiving GusNIP Nutrition Incentive funding totalling $36.3 million. These projects increase the purchase of fruits and vegetables by providing incentives at the point of purchase among income-eligible households participating in the USDA Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Nutrition Assistance Program Block Grants. The awards include Pilot Projects, Standard Projects and Largescale Projects.

Produce Prescription awards account for $5.2 million to 11 awardees. These projects will demonstrate and evaluate the impact of fresh fruit and vegetable prescriptions. The goals of the Produce Prescription Program are to increase purchase and consumption of fruits and vegetables, reduce individual and household food insecurity and reduce healthcare use and associated costs.

These investments answer the call to the White House Challenge to End Hunger and Build Healthy Communities, which is an extension of the National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition and Health that aims to end hunger and increase healthy eating.

For more information, visit HERE.

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