March 2, 2023 — A bipartisan effort is underway to provide relief to local fishermen, seafood processors, and those facing food insecurity across the country.
Last month, lawmakers including Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden sent a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) requesting the purchase of West Coast seafood products for the USDA’s Section 32 program.
Section 32 began in 1935, purchasing surplus food products from farms and fisheries to go to food assistance programs and the National School Lunch Program.