§6952 Multiagency task force

Summary

Sets up a multiagency task force in the Office of the Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services to coordinate and guide commodity programs. The team must have at least 4 members: a Food Distribution Division representative (appointed by the Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services) who will serve as chair, at least one person from the Agricultural Marketing Service (appointed by the Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs), at least one from the Farm Services Agency (appointed by the Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation), and at least one from the Food Safety and Inspection Service (appointed by the Under Secretary for Food Safety). The task force must check and monitor commodity programs to make sure they support U.S. farmers and help the health and well-being of people by distributing domestic farm products. It must review and make recommendations about procurement rules, how food is distributed, and whether the amount, quality, and specs of bought commodities meet producers’ needs and recipients’ preferences. Not later than 1 year after February 7, 2014, and every year after that, the Secretary must send Congress a report with the task force’s findings and the policies put in place to improve commodity procurement programs.