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The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced plans to purchase up to $472.5 million worth of domestically grown and raised agricultural commodities for distribution through charitable food networks and nutrition assistance programmes.
The purchases, made under the USDA's Section 32 authority, aim to support American agricultural producers facing challenging market conditions while directing surplus food supplies towards people in need.
The programme will cover 15 commodity categories, including dairy, pork, chicken, rice, nuts, pulses, fruit and fish.
Dairy represents the largest allocation, with $165.5 million earmarked for purchases. Other significant investments include $41 million for pork, $37 million for split peas, $30 million for almonds and $29 million for lentils.
The remaining allocations include $22 million for hazelnuts, $21 million for rice, $20 million each for chickpeas and farm-raised catfish, and $20 million for chicken.
A further $12 million will go towards Pacific whiting, while dried fruit mix and raisins will receive $10 million and $25 million respectively. Grapefruit and oranges have also each been allocated $10 million.
US agriculture secretary Brooke L Rollins said the investment would help ensure American-produced food reaches communities in need while rewarding domestic farmers and food producers.
The USDA said the purchases are intended to help stabilise agricultural markets by providing support during periods of supply and demand imbalance, price pressure and unexpected market disruption.
The initiative is also expected to benefit businesses across the wider food supply chain, including processors, packers, transport operators and other workers involved in moving agricultural products from farms to consumers.
Through its Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), the USDA regularly purchases domestically produced and processed agricultural commodities. These products, known as USDA Foods, are distributed through federal nutrition assistance programmes and form part of the country's food assistance network.
The department said the latest purchasing programme would channel funding to producers across the US, including pulse growers in the Northern Plains and Pacific Northwest, tree nut and citrus producers, Southern catfish farmers, rice growers, livestock and poultry producers, and the West Coast fishing industry.
The investment forms part of the Trump administration's stated commitment to supporting domestic agricultural producers while strengthening the country's food supply and nutrition assistance systems.
