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USDA announces $1.5 billion to aid schools rocked by inflation, supply chain disruptions
Business
USDA announces $1.5 billion to aid schools rocked by inflation, supply chain disruptions
Costs and worker constraints have complicated school nutrition during the pandemic. The Biden administration takes another step to bolster the program.
By Laura Reiley
Yesterday at 11:30 a.m. EST
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Friday that the Biden administration would provide $1.5 billion to states and school districts to help school meal programs deal with the challenges of rising inflation and supply chain disruptions brought on by the pandemic.
The new funding comes from the Commodity Credit Corporation, a government program started during the Great Depression. In September, Vilsack said in a statement that additional money would be made available, but at the time, the U.S. Department of Agriculture did not have details about how or when schools could begin to use the funds.
According to USDA officials, guidance will be sent to states Friday afternoon about how the money can be used, and states and districts can begin drawing on it as early as January.
Vilsack told The Washington Post on Thursday that he had been spurred to action by conversations with school nutrition administrators.
{snip}
By Laura Reiley
Laura Reiley is the business of food reporter. She was previously a food critic at the Tampa Bay Times, San Francisco Chronicle and Baltimore Sun. She has authored four books, has cooked professionally and is a graduate of the California Culinary Academy. She is a two-time James Beard finalist and in 2017 was a Pulitzer finalist. Twitter https://twitter.com/lreiley
USDA announces $1.5 billion to aid schools rocked by inflation, supply chain disruptions
Costs and worker constraints have complicated school nutrition during the pandemic. The Biden administration takes another step to bolster the program.
By Laura Reiley
Yesterday at 11:30 a.m. EST
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Friday that the Biden administration would provide $1.5 billion to states and school districts to help school meal programs deal with the challenges of rising inflation and supply chain disruptions brought on by the pandemic.
The new funding comes from the Commodity Credit Corporation, a government program started during the Great Depression. In September, Vilsack said in a statement that additional money would be made available, but at the time, the U.S. Department of Agriculture did not have details about how or when schools could begin to use the funds.
According to USDA officials, guidance will be sent to states Friday afternoon about how the money can be used, and states and districts can begin drawing on it as early as January.
Vilsack told The Washington Post on Thursday that he had been spurred to action by conversations with school nutrition administrators.
{snip}
By Laura Reiley
Laura Reiley is the business of food reporter. She was previously a food critic at the Tampa Bay Times, San Francisco Chronicle and Baltimore Sun. She has authored four books, has cooked professionally and is a graduate of the California Culinary Academy. She is a two-time James Beard finalist and in 2017 was a Pulitzer finalist. Twitter https://twitter.com/lreiley