The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) has made some suggestions to improve the Farmers to Families Food Box program. In a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, NASDA CEO Barb Glenn outlines recommendations that would promote equity of access to the program and would remove unnecessary barriers of entry. The letter highlights how successful USDA has been in getting the program up and running but notes areas that can be improved upon.
NASDA has proposed enhancements to the program which include providing vendors additional time between the awarding of contracts and the beginning of the performance period. NASDA also suggests providing greater flexibility when it comes to the selection of food items. Other recommendations include removing county restrictions within awarded states and giving preference to previously accepted vendors based on their contract performance.
Listen to the radio report below.
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