{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/mcgovern-markey-and-pressley-demand-answers-from-usdafollowing-reports-of-food-box-shortages", "McGovern, Markey, and Pressley Demand Answers From USDA\r\nFollowing Reports of Food Box ShortagesRead More", "2020-12-15", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "MA", "Edward Markey", "M000133", "www.markey.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  In light of recent reports from constituents that\r\nthe United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Families Food Box Program is\r\nstruggling to meet the needs of Massachusetts families, Representative James P. McGovern (MA-02), Senator\r\nEdward J. Markey (D-MA) and Representative Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) are leading the\r\nMassachusetts delegation in demanding answers from USDA\r\nadministratorsthat oversee the program, and are requesting a meeting with\r\nthe USDA to discuss the challenges that food box recipients and distributors\r\nare facing in Massachusetts.  In\r\naddition to McGovern, Markey, and Pressley, the letter was signed by Senator\r\nElizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Richard E. Neal (MA-01), Stephen F. Lynch (MA-08),\r\nKatherine Clark (MA-05), William Keating (MA-09), Joseph P. Kennedy III\r\n(MA-04), Seth Moulton (MA-06), and Lori Trahan (MA-03).  Authorized\r\nby the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, the Farmers to Families Food\r\nBox Program purchases and distributes agricultural products to schools, food\r\nbanks, and families in need. However,recentlyMcGovern, Markey, and\r\nPressley learned that the program has not met the needs of Massachusetts\r\nresidents.  In\r\nrecent weeks, we have received reports that the Northeast Region's new\r\nfourth-round contractor, Whitsons Culinary Group, is now unable to service many\r\nof the same Massachusetts schools and food banks that received food boxes in\r\nthe Program's prior rounds,wrote the Massachusetts lawmakers in their letter.In our\r\nconversations with Whitsons, we learned that regional needs not only vastly\r\noutweigh its contracted capacity, but also that, as of December 3, 2020, it has\r\na waitlist of 21 organizationsmany of which are previous food box recipients\r\nnow without a supplier.  In\r\nMassachusetts, the food-insecurity rate has increased by 53% during the\r\npandemic, with one in seven residents lacking access to enough food for three\r\nhealthy meals per day, and one in five children living in food-insecure\r\nhouseholds, according to the Greater Boston Food Bank.  The\r\nlawmakers also note that recipient organizations were provided with almost no\r\nwarning of the transition between vendors, and no notice was provided to\r\nschools and food banks that its distributions would be greatly reduced or\r\nstopped entirely, forcing food banks to scramble to purchase agricultural\r\nproducts for the families they serve or leave families without resources.  American\r\nfamilies must always have access to basic necessities, but never more so than\r\nduring this pandemic,conclude the lawmakers.To ensure their needs are being\r\nmet and that the Program is effective, USDA must engage in effective oversight,\r\nincluding seeking feedback from the Program's contractors and recipients. The\r\ndelegationis expected to speak with the USDA on this important matter\r\nthis week. The signed letter is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/mcgovern-markey-and-pressley-demand-answers-from-usdafollowing-reports-of-food-box-shortages"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.2804369907826185, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}