Perdue Focuses On Harvest Boxes

Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue says the USDA's idea for SNAP recipients to receive "Harvest Boxes" would not take up all of their benefits, and remaining benefits would still be available via electronic benefit transfer or EBT.

"We were anticipating 50% of the Harvest Box of being on there and 50% on the EBT card," Perdue said.

Harvest boxes would provide shelf-stable foods such as boxed-cereal, pasta and canned goods.

"And frankly, we've also had considerations of how we can include fresh fruits and vegetables in the harvest boxes as well, packed on a real-time basis there," Perdue added.

The plan is that these kinds of staple-foods would be provided to SNAP households at a lower cost than purchased at retail prices.  The Secretary's comments came during a recent hearing before the House Appropriations Agriculture sub-committee.

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