Emergency Food Assistance Program; Availability of Foods for Fiscal Year 2016, 78169 [2015-31616]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
• Food and Nutrition Service

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 241 (Wednesday, December 16, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 78169]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-31616]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


Emergency Food Assistance Program; Availability of Foods for 
Fiscal Year 2016

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the surplus and purchased foods 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) 2016. The foods made 
available under this notice must, at the discretion of the State, be 
distributed to eligible recipient agencies (ERAs) for use in preparing 
meals and/or for distribution to households for home consumption.

DATES: Effective Date: October 1, 2015.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeramia Garcia, Policy 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. 7501, et seq., and Section 27 
of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, 7 U.S.C. 2036, the Department 
makes foods available to States for use in providing nutrition 
assistance to those in need through TEFAP. In accordance with section 
214 of the EFAA, 7 U.S.C. 7515, 60 percent of each State's share of 
TEFAP foods is based on the number of people with incomes below the 
poverty level 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 foods will be used by 
ERAs in providing nutrition assistance to those in need, and for 
allocating foods among those ERAs. States have full discretion in 
determining the amount of foods that will be made available to ERAs for 
use in preparing meals and/or for distribution to households for home 
consumption.
    The types of foods the Department expects to make available to 
States for distribution through TEFAP in FY 2016 are described below.

Surplus Foods

    Surplus foods donated for distribution under TEFAP are Commodity 
Credit Corporation (CCC) foods purchased under the authority of section 
416 of the Agricultural Act of 1949, 7 U.S.C. 1431 (section 416) and 
foods 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 
foods typically purchased under section 416 include dairy, grains, 
oils, and peanut products. The types of foods purchased under section 
32 include meat, poultry, fish, vegetables, dry beans, juices, and 
fruits.
    Approximately $195.7 million in surplus foods acquired in FY 2015 
are being delivered to States in FY 2016. These foods include 
applesauce, cranberry sauce, dried cranberries, cranberry juice, orange 
juice, apple juice, apples, cherries, raisins, chicken leg quarters, 
lamb, and salmon. Other surplus foods may be made available to TEFAP 
throughout the year. The Department would like to point out that food 
acquisitions are based on changing agricultural market conditions; 
therefore, the availability of foods is subject to change.

Purchased Foods

    In accordance with section 27 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 
2008, 7 U.S.C. 2036, the Secretary is directed to purchase an estimated 
$319.75 million worth of foods in FY 2016 for distribution through 
TEFAP. These foods are made available to States in addition to those 
surplus foods which otherwise might be provided to States for 
distribution under TEFAP.
    For FY 2016, the Department anticipates purchasing the following 
foods for distribution through TEFAP: Fresh and dehydrated potatoes, 
fresh apples, fresh pears, frozen apple slices, unsweetened applesauce, 
dried plums, raisins, frozen ground beef, frozen whole chicken, frozen 
ham, frozen catfish, frozen turkey roast, lima beans, black-eye beans, 
garbanzo beans, great northern beans, light red kidney beans, pinto 
beans, lentils, egg mix, shell eggs, peanut butter, roasted peanuts, 
low-fat cheese, one percent ultra high temperature fluid milk, 
vegetable oil, low-fat bakery flour mix, egg noodles, white and yellow 
corn grits, whole grain oats, macaroni, spaghetti, whole grain rotini, 
whole grain spaghetti, whole grain macaroni, white and brown rice, corn 
flakes, wheat bran flakes, oat cereal, rice cereal, corn cereal, corn 
and rice cereal, and shredded whole wheat cereal; the following canned 
items: Low sodium blackeye beans, low sodium green beans, low sodium 
light red kidney beans, low sodium refried beans, low sodium vegetarian 
beans, low sodium carrots, low sodium cream corn, no salt added whole 
kernel corn, low sodium peas, low sodium sliced potatoes, no salt added 
pumpkin, reduced sodium cream of chicken soup, reduced sodium cream of 
mushroom soup, low sodium tomato soup, low sodium vegetable soup, low 
sodium spaghetti sauce, low sodium spinach, sweet potatoes with extra 
light syrup, no salt added diced tomatoes, low sodium tomato sauce, 
kosher and halal tomato sauce, low sodium mixed vegetables, unsweetened 
applesauce, apricots with extra light syrup, mixed fruit with extra 
light syrup, cling peaches with extra light syrup, pears with extra 
light syrup, beef, beef stew, chicken, pork, salmon and kosher salmon, 
and tuna; and the following bottled juices: Unsweetened apple juice, 
unsweetened cherry apple juice, unsweetened cran-apple juice, 
unsweetened grape juice, unsweetened grapefruit juice, unsweetened 
orange juice, and unsweetened tomato juice.
    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 foods or the non-availability of 
one or more types listed above.

    Dated: December 8, 2015.
Audrey Rowe,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-31616 Filed 12-15-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P