US food aid budget cuts hit US farmworkers with $10 billion in cuts
- September 25, 2021
Power equipment, kibble equipment and dj equipment are among the items being sold at auction for the first time in a US farmworker relief program.
Key points:Farmers have been struggling with the high cost of living as a result of the electionThe farmworkers are receiving food aid in the form of cash and other aid but have been unable to find a jobThe farmworker aid program is aimed at providing jobs for people who work in food service jobs at farm and food processing facilitiesThe program has been designed to provide jobs for farmworkers and their families and help reduce the need for long-term welfare, according to the Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The USDA announced that it had launched the first auction of farmworker support packages, which will be used to help farmworkers pay for food expenses in a variety of ways, from rent to utilities to health insurance.
The farm workers will receive up to $10,000 in aid from the program, the USDA said.
“We know it is important that farmers have access to food aid, but the real question is how will they use it,” USDA Undersecretary for Agriculture and Rural Development (USRDC) Beth Larkin said in a statement.
“Farmers in this program can rely on their local, state and federal governments to ensure they have access and resources to meet their needs.
This program is the best way to do that.”
The program is designed to help farmers get their money out of the poverty line and help them save on the costs of living.
The USDA says the program will help farmers save money on rent, utility bills and medical costs, as well as help them provide jobs to those workers who have been displaced by Hurricane Sandy.
The program also provides cash grants to help rural residents with transportation costs and the costs associated with housing, Larkin added.
Farmworkers have been hit by high unemployment and a sharp drop in demand due to the election.
While the recovery effort has been underway, farmworkers have continued to struggle with the cost of housing and food.
According to the USDA, about 10% of the farmworker workforce in the US works in food preparation or service, compared to the average of 8% in the United States.
The number of farmworkers who work as dishwashers and cooks has also decreased.
While there have been efforts to boost the farmworkers’ earning power, the farm workers have struggled with the low wages.
The US Department of Labor reported that the average hourly wage for a farmworker is about $11.80 an hour in the agriculture sector.
The number of people in the country who are employed in the agricultural sector increased from 2.2 million in 2012 to 3.7 million in 2015, according the US Department for International Development.
Farmers who receive aid from USDA assistance will also be eligible for federal tax credits to help offset their expenses.
The farmers will also receive federal job training assistance, as part of the program.
The programs aims to help people who are in jobs and on the payroll in order to provide them with a pathway to permanent employment, Lacey said.
The agency said it will continue to expand the program to include food service and farmworker job training, with more opportunities to offer food assistance for people in positions that are at risk of becoming unemployed.
