The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced that it is set to purchase up to US$2.7m worth of fresh tomatoes for use in the group's various federal nutrition assistance projects.
The Department's Agricultural Marketing Service is responsible for the purchase, which will be used in programmes such as the National School lunch Programme, the School Breakfast Programme, the Summer Food Service Programme, the Food Distribution Programme on Indian Reservations, the Commodity Supplemental Food Programme and the Emergency Food Assistance Programme.
It is the latest in a series of moves by the USDA to boosts its fresh produce coffers following the addition of a fresh-cut apple purchase pilot programme earlier in the year, The Packer reported.
The apple purchases could eventually total US$16.3m, according to a USDA statement, while plans are also afoot for the launch of a similar baby peeled carrot programme.
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