U.S. Agriculture Sec. Sonny Perdue hit Central Florida on Monday to help open a Farmers to Families Food Box Program distribution center at One More Child in Lakeland.
Two Republicans in the Florida delegation–U.S. Reps. Ross Spano and Greg Steube–attended the event.
“The Farmers to Families Food Box Program distribution center in Lakeland is at One More Child, a faith-based organization that provides safe, stable, Christian homes and services to children and families in need,” Steube’s office noted.
“The Farmers to Families Food Box program was designed to work with national, regional and local suppliers whose sales of perishable goods were impacted by the closures of restaurants, hotels and other food service businesses. The program agreed to purchase $3 billion dollars in fresh produce, dairy and meat products from suppliers, including those Florida based, to ensure their goods did not go to waste,” Spano’s office noted. “Suppliers then package these products ($1.2B) into family-sized boxes and deliver them to local food banks, community and faith-based organization and other non-profits through June 30th, 2020.”
Both of the congressmen weighed in on the visit.
“Part of USDA’s larger response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Farmers to Families Food Box Program will help farmers move product while benefitting our local food banks, community and faith-based organizations, and other non-profits,” Steube said. “Florida is an important part of the nation’s food supply chain, and our jobs will quickly come back from this crisis thanks to Secretary Perdue and President Trump’s hard work.”
“I want to thank Secretary Perdue for once again visiting Florida’s Fifteenth District, and I want to thank an organization near and dear to my heart, ‘One More Child,’ for their work and for hosting us today,” said Spano. “The ‘Farmers to Families Food Box’ program is an example of the success government and the private sector can achieve when we work together. Our district is home to local growers who work hard to keep our nation’s food supply strong and available for millions of Americans. During the pandemic, this program has been a lifeline for many families. I am thankful for the leadership of Secretary Perdue and President Trump.”
Reach Kevin Derby at kevin.derby@floridadaily.com.
