Source:  USDA, 1/21/22

Today, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture issued the following statement highlighting key accomplishments to promote food and nutrition security at the Department of Agriculture since the Biden-Harris Administration took office on Jan. 20, 2021.

“2021 again offered unparalleled challenges to Americans and institutions like the USDA dedicated to serving them in whatever circumstances they may face – most especially hunger and nutrition insecurity,” said Vilsack. “The scale of these trials is only rivaled by the magnitude of the efforts that the Biden-Harris Administration and the USDA have undertaken to meet them.”

Over the past year, millions have continued struggling to make ends meet, to feed themselves and their families. USDA has taken steps to not only increase benefits through the host of programs available to assist those in need, but to expand access to those programs and reach out to those that have been historically underserved.

Key USDA accomplishments during 2021 include:
• Re-evaluated the Thrifty Food Plan, increasing SNAP purchasing power by 21%, better supporting a healthy diet.
• Worked with school food service workers to issue 19 types of waivers to ensure school cafeterias had the flexibility they needed to keep serving 35 million children across the country every school day, and over the summer, while contending with the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Expanded pandemic-EBT, increasing benefits by approximately 15% and delivering almost $42 billion in benefits for nearly 33 million low-income and food insecure children that missed out on free meals when schools were closed.

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