Commodities distribution to resume next week
Staff writer
Bimonthly distribution of free food to low-income families will return next week after being skipped in June.
Department on Aging director Lu Turk was notified commodities would arrive Aug. 13 and be distributed that week. Each town has its own distribution date and time.
Distributions this month will include fish, pulled pork, turkey breast, chicken, and instant milk.
“We’ll have a total of 14 items for distribution,” Turk said.
Her department wasn’t notified June distribution would be skipped until June 10 — just days before the food ordinarily would have been distributed.
The Department for Children and Families said distribution was being skipped because the federal government had provided no money to transport the food.
Turk found a driver who volunteered to pick up the commodities from a Concordia distribution center, but a DCF representative told her that could not be done.
“At this time, partner agencies are not permitted to independently pick up TEFAP foods or cover the associated shipping costs themselves,” an administrative specialist wrote in an email. “All TEFAP food deliveries must be coordinated through DCF in accordance with federal and state guidelines.”
This month’s delivery notice came later than usual.
“Normally, we hear something by the end of the month,” Turk said.
The fate of the food that would have been shipped in June is not known.
U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Friday that it would spend up to $230 million to buy fresh seafood, fruits, and vegetables grown by American farmers and producers.
Commodities it will purchase include Alaska Pollock, dried cranberries, dry beans, farm-raised catfish, and fresh apples.
USDA said the food would be given to food banks and nutrition assistance programs across the country.