The number of meals served to low-income Kentuckians by federal food programs has grown in recent years, reflecting a similar increase nationwide.

The Kentucky Department of Agriculture's Division of Food Distribution issues approximately $22 million worth of commodities from the U.S. Department of Agriculture each year. The KDA administers the Emergency Food Assistance Program, the Commodity School Lunch Program, the Commodity Supplemental Food Program and the Summer Food Service Program in Kentucky.

“These food distribution programs are some of the most important things the Kentucky Department of Agriculture does as a consumer protection and service agency,” state Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer said. “My goal is for no Kentuckian to go hungry. These services help us strive toward that goal. At the same time, they help farmers by taking surplus farm products out of the market.”

The Commodity National School Lunch Program (NSLP) distributed commodities to be used to serve more than 87.9 million meals to Kentucky school children in 2006, up nearly 1.2 million from 2005. The dollar value of the meals declined slightly to $15.3 million in 2006.

The Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) served 15,161 clients a total of $4.1 million worth of food in 2005. The number of clients is established by the USDA. The CSFP is open to women, infants and children, and senior citizens 60 and over who meet federal household income guidelines. It provides each client a nutritionally balanced box of food consisting of canned fruits and vegetables, pasta products, dairy products, juice and peanut butter.

The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) is projected to provide more than 2.1 million meals in 2007, compared with nearly 2.05 million last year and 1.87 million in 2005. This program provides food to people of all ages with an income level of 130 percent of the poverty level or below.

The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) will provide 3.875 million meals to Kentucky children during the 2007 summer months, compared with 3.47 million last year and 3.36 million in 2005. The SFSP provides commodity foods used to prepare meals for summer school, day camps and certain summer camps such as the Kentucky Sheriffs' Ranch, the Kentucky State Police's Trooper Island camp, 4-H camps and some church camps.

For more information on the Kentucky Department of Agriculture's commodity food distribution programs, go to www,kyagr.com, click on Programs and click on Food Distribution.