Source:  Tom Johnston, MEATINGPLACE.COM, 9/3/09

USDA announced Thursday it will buy an additional $30 million in pork products in fiscal 2009 for federal food and nutrition assistance programs.

The agency has purchased some $151 million for these programs this year via annual appropriation and Recovery Act funding.

"These purchases will assist pork producers who are currently struggling due to depressed market conditions and reflects the Obama Administration's ongoing work to support struggling producers," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement. "This action will help mitigate further downward prices, stabilize market conditions, stimulate the economy and provide high quality, nutritious food to recipients of USDA's nutrition programs."

The American Meat Institute said Vilsack's announcement came after the industry group and the National Pork Producers Council met this week with USDA officials and key appropriators to "explain the plight" of pork producers, packers and processors.

Earlier this year, NPPC asked USDA to buy extra $50 million in pork products in the remainder of fiscal 2009 as part of a proposed assistance package worth a total of $150 million.

For more stories, go to www.meatingplace.com.