Congressman Panetta Co-Introduces Legislation to Expand Farm to Food Bank Projects

SALINAS, CA – Today, Congressman Jimmy Panetta (CA-20) co-introduced legislation to help streamline the donation of food by farmers to food banks across the country to help confront the growing food insecurity related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Farm to Food Bank Enhancement Act will provide $25 million for states to expand or establish new Farm to Food Bank Projects as part of The Emergency Food Assistance Program, or TEFAP. The federal funding will be used to cover up to 100 percent of harvesting, processing, packaging, and transportation costs for covered commodities. The legislation is sponsored by Congresswoman Marcia Fudge (OH-11), Chair of the Agriculture Subcommittee on Nutrition, Oversight, and Department Operations.

"As our food insecurity is exacerbated by this pandemic, we just can't afford to let our fresh fruits and vegetables go to waste. That is why we must do everything that we can to support our agricultural producers, packers and distributors as they pivot and adjust to these difficult times," said Congressman Panetta. "Our legislation provides critical funding for states to establish and expand Farm to Food Bank Projects so that our agriculture is sustained and our vulnerable communities are food secure."

"At the same time millions of hungry Americans are lining up at food banks as a result of the pandemic, many of our nation's farmers and agriculture producers are seeing their demand disappear and are having to destroy millions of pounds of fresh food," said Congresswoman Fudge. "Our bill will help to connect those two important parts of the emergency response, making great strides toward preventing food waste and fighting hunger that is reaching new, unprecedented highs."

"The Farm to Food Bank Enhancement Act will be a real game changer to improve the health and nutrition for both our families and our farmers, now more than ever," said Willy Elliott McCrea, CEO, Food Bank of Santa Cruz County.

"The Farm to Food Bank Enhancement Act will provide important resources to help food banks access fresh produce. Receiving this nutritious food at reduced costs will help us meet the drastically increased need for food we are seeing in our communities," said Leslie Bacho, CEO, Second Harvest of Silicon Valley.

"We are thrilled to endorse the Farm to Food Bank Enhancement Act that will a deliver triple win for California," said Andrew Cheyne, director of government affairs for the California Association of Food Banks. "This bill provides a real solution to support our farmers, prevents food from going to waste, and gets it to people in need. At a time of record demand at food banks, this is exactly the common sense response we need to respond to several aspects of this crisis at once."

A summary of the legislation is available here.

Congressman Panetta is a member of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Nutrition, Oversight, and Department Operations and House Agriculture Subcommittee on Livestock and Foreign Agriculture.