Meat the Need Program
National “Meat the Need” Program to Assist Faltering
Dairy, Turkey and Pork Industries While Providing Food to the Needy
Salt Lake City - Agriculture leaders from throughout the U.S. are offering Congress a proposal that will aid the nation’s embattled dairy, turkey and pork farmers while helping make more food available to the needy.
With Commissioner Blackham's lead, the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA), has put forward the “Meat the Need” program that diverts extra dairy, turkey and pork supplies to a national supplemental food assistance program. The removal of the excess product is expected to increase prices paid to producers to levels that will sustain their operations and stave off the collapse of hundreds of family farms. The program is not expected to impact the nation’s valuable beef industry.
“In Utah, this program will help keep our rural economy strong and protect the hundreds of local farms that contribute to the financial well-being of our towns and counties,” said Utah Commissioner of Agriculture and Food, Leonard Blackham. “Our $500 million dairy, pork and turkey, industries can feel secure under this program,” he added. A strong livestock industry also benefits Utah’s $200 million hay industry and many farm supply businesses.
The plan calls for the removal of extra inventories from the market, while providing vital nutritious, protein-rich foods to those who are unable to afford them. By utilizing $900 million in federal stimulus funding previously authorized, this plan will not cost the taxpayer any additional money.
“The plan will help support the rural economies of this nation that are heavily dependent upon agriculture. All sectors of agriculture will benefit from reducing the number of foreclosures headed toward these agriculture producers,” added Commissioner Blackham.
USDA-purchased products would be distributed to food banks, school lunch programs and a new
SNAP-PLUS program, as well as into foreign military food assistance. A record number of our citizens are receiving food aid during these challenging economic times.
SNAP-PLUS would allow USDA to increase allocations to the Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program (SNAP) and require SNAP beneficiaries to spend the new allocations on meat and possibly dairy products only. These products would be available through commercial grocers. Participants would be given separate electronic benefits transfer (EBT) cards to purchase the products.
These farmers have suffered from high feed costs and low retail prices and are financially leveraged more than any time in there industry history. Pork producers are also feeling the effects of unwarranted reaction to their product because of the H1N1 flu pandemic.
NASDA is comprised of the commissioners, secretaries and directors of agriculture from the 50 states.
Read the Salt Lake Tribune's editorial supporting the program.
Utah Food Bank Services
Utahns Against Hunger
See the video of
Commissioner Blackham's announcement
Posted October 1, 2009