Politico: USDA FINI coverage

The Agriculture Department announced today that it is distributing $31.5 million in grant money to projects in 26 states aimed at promoting healthier food purchases with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.

 

"Encouraging low income families to put more healthy food in their grocery baskets is part of USDA's ongoing commitment to improving the diet and health of all Americans," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement. "These creative community partnerships also benefit regional food producers and local economies along with SNAP participants."

 

One of the biggest grants — about $5.2 million — went to the nonprofit group Fair Food Network in Michigan to increase its Double Up Food Bucks program, which matches the value of SNAP purchases with additional dollars to spend on regionally grown produce.

 

Sen. Debbie Stabenow was a driving force behind  including the SNAP grants in the 2014 farm bill, a spokesman said.

 

Originally posted at PoliticoPro on April 1, 2015.