August 24, 2020 PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP IS PROTECTING AMERICA’S FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN AND ENSURING NO FAMILY GOES HUNGRY

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 24, 2020 PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP IS PROTECTING AMERICA’S FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN AND ENSURING NO FAMILY GOES HUNGRY   “From day one, my Administration has been determined to protect our Nation’s incredible farmers.” – President Donald J. Trump   PROMOTING FOOD SECURITY: President Donald J. Trump is taking bold actions to bolster America’s food supply amid the pandemic. President Trump is utilizing every resource at his disposal to reinforce the food supply chain through shutdowns caused by the invisible enemy. Facing unprecedented circumstances, President Trump took action to ensure the food supply chain remained safe, secure, and durable even as the rest of the country shut down. At the beginning of the pandemic, President Trump held a meeting with grocery store executives to ensure shelves would continue to be fully stocked with fresh food and goods. Thanks to President Trump’s immediate action to identify the food supply chain as Essential Critical Infrastructure, grocery stores like Kroger kept their doors open throughout the pandemic. In the midst of shutdowns, President Trump used the Defense Production Act to ensure Americans had access to a stable supply of food, including beef, pork, and poultry. SUPPORTING AMERICANS IN NEED: President Trump is delivering food to millions of Americans through the Farmers to Families Food Box program. In response to the invisible enemy, President Trump swiftly launched the Farmers to Families Food Box program to aid farmers, redirecting their products through the supply chain to help feed American families. The Trump Administration is purchasing up to $3 billion of fresh American produce, dairy, and meat products for families in need. Today, the President announced that his Administration will provide an additional $1 billion for the Farmers to Families Food Box Program. Through this program, more than 70 million boxes have been delivered to over 10,000 food banks and non-profit organizations, and thousands of jobs have been saved or created—including more than 5,000 in the food distribution industry. Distributors are now prioritizing resources to send boxes to Opportunity Zones and areas most in need by providing relief to America’s most underserved communities. In addition, President Trump is including a letter that reinforces COVID-19 safety guidelines and how Americans can best protect themselves and their families. PROTECTING WORKERS AND CRITICAL INDUSTRY: President Trump is providing aid, guidance, and resources to our critical food industry workers amid the pandemic. The Trump Administration is delivering $16 billion in direct payments to American farmers and ranchers who have been hard hit by the pandemic. Facing shutdowns of critical infrastructure, President Trump signed an order and issued guidelines so that all food processing facilities could safely operate throughout the pandemic. Guidance was provided for all food and grocery retail workers, agricultural workers, and employers to help prevent and slow the spread while conducting their essential jobs. Through the CARES Act, President Trump delivered stimulus checks and other financial relief to Americans, providing support to any worker impacted by COVID-19. ###