USDA Announces Coronavirus Food Assistance Program

April 20, 2020 USDA

USDA will partner with regional and local distributors, whose workforce has been significantly impacted by the closure of many restaurants, hotels, and other food service entities, to purchase $ 3 billion in fresh produce, dairy, and meat.

USDA Announces Labeling Flexibility to Facilitate Distribution of Food to Retail Locations

April 16, 2020 USDA

USDA is exercising enforcement discretion for a temporary period to provide labeling flexibilities to the Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) requirements and allow the re-distribution of food products intended for foodservice to be sold in retail establishments.

USDA Approves Florida Request for Online Groceries with SNAP Program

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced approval of Florida’s request to provide online grocery purchases through the SNAP program.

USDA Seeks Comment on Proposed Changes for the Importation of Fresh Citrus from South Africa into the United States

April 3, 2020 USDA

USDA APHIS has prepared and is accepting comments on a commodity import evaluation document (CIED) regarding fresh citrus imports from South Africa. Based on the findings of the CIED, APHIS experts determined that grapefruit, lemon, mandarin orange, sweet orange, tangelo, and Satsuma mandarin fruit from South Africa may be imported into the United States without restrictions on the ports of entry.