USDA to buy $60 million in cheese for food programs

One day after announcing the details for $290 million in direct payments to dairy producers, Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack pulled the trigger on the other part of the dairy assistance package approved by Congress a couple of months ago. The Secretary announced USDA will purchase approximately $60 million in cheese and cheese products for use in domestic federal food programs. The Secretary says the action will help two groups, “This purchase will provide food to people in need, while helping dairy producers who are facing economic challenges by increasing demand for dairy products,”

Congress included a total of $350 million for dairy assistance in the ag appropriations bill they approved earlier this year.