USDA Plans $472.5 Million in Section 32 Food Purchases

On October 29, 2026, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced its intent to purchase up to $472.5 million in American-grown and American-raised agricultural commodities. The food is intended for distribution through the charitable food network and USDA nutrition assistance programs. The purchase is planned under Section 32 authority, a mechanism USDA describes as a direct tool for supporting agricultural producers when market conditions are tight. The announcement identifies planned purchase levels across 15 commodity categories, but it does not provide solicitation documents, deadlines, a purchase schedule, or fulfillment requirements.

For food producers, processors, packers, and distributors, the announcement signals potential federal sales opportunities, not a currently open competition. USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is responsible for purchasing domestically produced and processed agricultural products for USDA Foods programs. AMS notices are the stated channel for forthcoming solicitations, schedules, and requirements. Suppliers should use those notices to establish whether a specific commodity purchase is open, what products and delivery terms are required, and how to respond. The stated dollar amounts are planned purchase levels; they are not confirmed awards or guaranteed contract values.

The planned mix spans crops, animal products, and seafood, with the largest allocation by far directed to dairy. USDA lists $165.5 million for dairy, followed by $41 million for pork, $37 million for split peas, $30 million for almonds, and $29 million for lentils. Additional categories include chickpeas, dried fruit mix, raisins, grapefruit, oranges, hazelnuts, Pacific whiting, farm-raised catfish, chicken, and rice. The breadth of the list creates potential opportunities for suppliers across multiple regions and segments, but participation will depend on the specific AMS notices and the applicable product and delivery requirements.

USDA says Section 32 purchases can help stabilize agricultural markets during periods of imbalance, support producers facing economic hardship or sudden disruptions, and sustain rural employment across the supply chain. The department’s announcement describes purchases reaching pulse growers on the Northern Plains and in the Pacific Northwest; tree nut, raisin, and citrus growers; Southern catfish farmers; rice growers; pork and poultry producers; and the West Coast Pacific whiting fleet. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins characterized the initiative as moving food “straight from our farms to those in need, rather than being wasted.” For contractors and potential suppliers, the practical next step is to track AMS procurement activity rather than infer an award or bid deadline from the announcement itself.

• Total planned purchases: Up to $472.5 million in domestically produced agricultural commodities under Section 32 authority.
• Largest category: Dairy, at $165.5 million; the announcement does not specify individual dairy products or solicitation terms.
• Other major categories: Pork ($41 million), split peas ($37 million), almonds ($30 million), and lentils ($29 million).
• Remaining planned categories: Chickpeas ($20 million), dried fruit mix ($10 million), raisins ($25 million), grapefruit ($10 million), oranges ($10 million), hazelnuts ($22 million), Pacific whiting ($12 million), farm-raised catfish ($20 million), chicken ($20 million), and rice ($21 million).
• Intended recipients: USDA nutrition assistance programs and the charitable food network, through the USDA Foods purchasing and distribution structure.
• Procurement status: The figures are planned purchase levels, not awarded contract values. No solicitation details, submission deadlines, or purchase schedule were included in the announcement.
• Supplier action: Monitor Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) notices for product specifications, solicitation availability, schedules, delivery instructions, and fulfillment requirements.
• Market and regional context: USDA says the purchases are intended to support agricultural markets and rural jobs, with named producer and industry groups across the Northern Plains, Pacific Northwest, South, and West Coast.