[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 171 (Friday, September 3, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53882-53883]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-20078]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service
The Emergency Food Assistance Program; Availability of
Commodities for Fiscal Year 2004
AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This notice announces the surplus and purchased commodities
that the Department expects to make available for donation to States
for use in providing nutrition assistance to the needy under the
Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) in Fiscal Year (FY) 2004. The
commodities made available under this notice must be distributed to
eligible recipient agencies for use in preparing meals and/or for
distribution to households for home consumption.
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2003.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lillie Ragan, Assistant Branch Chief,
Household Programs Branch, Food Distribution Division, Food and
Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 3101 Park Center
Drive, Alexandria, Virginia 22302-1594 or telephone (703) 305-2662.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the provisions set forth
in the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983 (EFAA), 7 U.S.C. 7502, and
the Food Stamp Act of 1977, 7 U.S.C. 2011, et seq., the Department
makes commodities and administrative funds available to States for use
in providing nutrition assistance to those in need through TEFAP. In
accordance with 7 CFR 251.3(h), each State's share of TEFAP commodities
and administrative funds is based 60 percent on the number of low-
income households within the State and 40 percent on the number of
unemployed persons within the State. State officials are responsible
for establishing the network through which the commodities will be used
by eligible recipient agencies (ERAs) in providing nutrition assistance
to those in need, and for allocating commodities and administrative
funds among those agencies. States have full discretion in determining
the amount of commodities that will be made available to ERAs for use
in preparing meals, and/or for distribution to households for home
consumption.
The types of commodities the Department expects to make available
to States for distribution through TEFAP in FY 2004 are described
below.
Surplus Commodities
Surplus commodities donated for distribution under TEFAP are
Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) commodities determined to be
available for donation by the Secretary of Agriculture under the
authority of section 416 of the Agricultural Act of 1949, 7 U.S.C. 1431
(section 416), and commodities purchased under the surplus removal
authority of section 32 of the Act of August 24, 1935, 7 U.S.C. 612c
(section 32). The types of commodities typically made available under
section 416 include dairy, grains, oils, and peanut products. The types
of commodities purchased under section 32 include meat, poultry, fish,
vegetables, dry beans, juices, and fruits.
In FY 2004, the Department anticipates that there will be
sufficient quantities of nonfat dry milk and ready-to-eat pudding
available for donation under section 416 and frozen turkey breast,
canned and frozen orange juice, fruit-nut mix, dried cherries, dates,
figs, canned tomatoes, walnuts, canned and frozen asparagus, canned
salmon and raisins under section 32 to support the distribution of
these commodities through TEFAP. Other surplus commodities may be made
available to TEFAP later in the year. The Department would like to
point out that commodity acquisitions are based on changing
agricultural market conditions; therefore, the availability of
commodities is subject to change.
Approximately $80.7 million in surplus commodities purchased in FY
2003 are being delivered to States in FY 2004. These commodities
include frozen strawberries, frozen ground bison, frozen turkey deli,
frozen peaches, frozen asparagus, frozen lamb roasts, salmon, dried
plums, dried raisins, dehydrated potatoes, non-fat dry milk, ready-to-
eat pudding, and the following canned items: tomatoes and tomato sauce,
apricots, peaches, pears, pineapple, asparagus, and bison stew.
Purchased Commodities
In accordance with section 27 of the Food Stamp Act of 1977, 7
U.S.C. 2036, the Secretary is directed annually, through FY 2007, to
purchase $140 million worth of commodities for distribution through
TEFAP. These commodities are made available to States in addition to
those surplus
[[Page 53883]]
commodities which otherwise might be provided to States for
distribution under TEFAP. However, the Consolidated Appropriations Act,
2004 (Public Law 108-199) permits States to convert any or all of their
fair share of $10 million of these funds to administrative funds to pay
costs associated with the distribution of TEFAP commodities at the
State and local level. States have in the current fiscal year chosen to
use $744,206 of their ``fair shares'' of this $10 million to increase
their commodity entitlements.
In addition, $50 million was appropriated under the Commodity
Assistance Program heading of the Consolidated Appropriations Act,
2004, as administrative funds. State agencies have the option of
requesting that the Department use any or all of their ``fair shares''
of this $50 million to purchase additional commodities for them.
For FY 2004, the Department anticipates purchasing the following
commodities for distribution through TEFAP: dehydrated potatoes, corn
syrup, egg mix, blackeye beans, great northern beans, kidney beans,
lima beans, pinto beans, dried plums, raisins, bakery mix, lowfat
bakery mix, egg noodles, white and yellow corn grits, macaroni, oats,
peanut butter, rice, spaghetti, vegetable oil, rice cereal, corn
flakes, corn squares, oat cereal, bran flakes, frozen ground beef,
frozen chicken, frozen ham, frozen turkey roast, and the following
canned items: green beans, refried beans, vegetarian beans, carrots,
cream corn, whole kernel corn, sliced potatoes, spaghetti sauce,
tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato soup, vegetarian soup, apple juice,
cranapple juice, grapefruit juice, orange juice, pineapple juice,
tomato juice, apricots, peaches, pineapples, applesauce, pears, plums,
beef, beef stew, chicken, pork, tuna, and roasted peanuts. The amounts
of each item purchased will depend on the prices the Department must
pay, as well as the quantity of each item requested by the States.
Changes in agricultural market conditions may result in the
availability of additional types of commodities or the non-availability
of one or more types listed above.
Dated: August 11, 2004.
Roberto Salazar,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 04-20078 Filed 9-2-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P