FNS Documents & Resources

In FY 2020, The Emergency Food Assistance Program received a significant amount of additional funding for food purchases and administrative expenses through the Food Purchase Distribution Program and legislation in response to the novel coronavirus public health emergency.

This memorandum includes questions and answers on flexibilities available to TEFAP state agencies on the operation of TEFAP. These flexibilities may assist state agencies that administer TEFAP in continuing to provide food to people in need during the novel COVID-19 public health emergency.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act  provides $450 million in supplemental funding for TEFAP for FY 2020, with up to $150 million of the supplemental funding is available as administrative funds and the remaining amount will be made available as food funds. 

With the recent passage of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act to assist with the novel coronaviruspublic health emergency,  WIC received an increase in funding for the program as well as increased ability to provide states with the flexibilities they need to support mothers, infants and children that rely on WIC.

During an emergency situation such as the COVID-19 public health emergency, there are flexibilities available to TEFAP state agencies to assist them in continuing to provide food to people in need. Implementing TEFAP flexibilities can be achieved simply by submitting a written explanation (i.e., state plan amendment) to the FNS regional office for expedited review and approval.

This memo provides guidance to TEFAP state agencies on how to amend their state plans in order to be eligible for FY 2020 Farm to Food Bank Project funding.

In FY 2019, USDA provided $49.1 million to assist with the operational costs of the receipt, storage, and distribution of TEFAP Trade Mitigation Program foods, now referred to as Food Purchase Distribution Program foods.

FNS is cancelling Policy Memoranda FD-010, FD-027, FD-028, FD-029, FD-032, FD-053, FD-055, FD-071, FD-073, FD-074, FD-083, FD-086, FD-087, FD-090, FD-105, and FD-115. The guidance provided by these memoranda are either outdated, obsolete, or otherwise captured in more current memoranda.

Under the statutory authority of the Commodity Credit Corporation, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is administering a second year of the Trade Mitigation Food Purchase and Distribution Program, now known as the Food Purchase Distribution Program (FPDP), to purchase up to $1.4 billion of FPDP foods.

The purpose of this memo is to revise obligation and liquidation deadlines for the Fiscal Year 2019 Trade Mitigation Program ERA Operational Funds, which were provided for phases 2-4 of the FY 2019 Trade Mitigation Food Purchase and Distribution Program, now referred to as the Food Purchase Distribution Program (FPDP).