Release No. 0296.04

Jerry Redding (202) 720-4623
George Chartier (202) 720 8998 

Veneman Announces 34 Million Pounds of Raisins to be Purchased for USDA Food Programs 

WASHINGTON, July 16, 2004 -- – Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman today announced USDA's plan to purchase approximately 34 million pounds of raisins. The raisins will be donated to child nutrition and other domestic food assistance programs.

"This purchase will provide our federal food program recipients with a nutritious product," said Veneman. 

Since Oct. 1, 2003, USDA already has purchased 2.7 million pounds of dried raisins. In fiscal year 2003, USDA purchased 36.4 million pounds of dried raisins. 

USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service purchases a variety of high quality food products each year for distribution by USDA's Food and Nutrition Service for the national school lunch program, the school breakfast program, the summer food service program, the food distribution program on Indian reservations, the nutrition program for the elderly, the commodity supplemental food program and the emergency food assistance program. USDA also makes emergency purchases of commodities for distribution to victims of natural disaster 

More information about USDA programs is available at http://www.usda.gov.

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