Ivanka Trump made her first public appearance in weeks on Friday to kick off the Agriculture Department’s new food box program at a produce distributor in Laurel, Md.
Ivanka Trump joined Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan. They wear masks to as a precautionary measure for COVID-19. They tout the launch of the $3 billion program. The initiative aims to connect surplus produce, meat and dairy with food banks and other nonprofits that serve people in need.
“I’m proud that the majority of the recipients are small and regional food suppliers who prioritize smaller farms and nonprofits in their bids” Ivanka Trump said at the event.
.USDA’s program has increasingly come under fire for awarding some major contracts to firms with little to no experience working with farmers or food banks.
USDA has been under mounting pressure to rescue millions of pounds of wasted food as jobless claims, and lines at food banks, have swelled. It’s now been two months since supply chains broke down after restaurants, hotels, schools and other institutions nationwide had to shut down under social distancing guidelines, which has led to an extensive disruption to demand.
