WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report on federal food purchases that shows large scale opportunities for federal agencies to increase local sourcing of fruits and vegetables. The report focused on federal food purchases made by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and the Department of Defense’s (DOD) Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) between fiscal years 2018 and 2022, including the extent of small business participation and the purchases of locally grown food. 

U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and John Fetterman (D-PA) requested this GAO report in December 2021. Booker and Fetterman are members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

“This GAO report shows that federal agencies purchase nearly $10 billion of fruits and vegetables each year, yet have no legal requirements to source any of that produce locally,” said Senator Booker. “A substantial increase in local purchases of fruits and vegetables by federal agencies could benefit small farmers and local and regional food systems around the country, and this type of large scale local sourcing by the federal government needs to become a priority.”

"I'm pleased to have commissioned this GAO report with Senator Booker," said Senator Fetterman. "We must invest in small farmers – and this report gives us the data we need to do just that. The report finds that nearly half of USDA and DOD domestic food spending is sourced from small local businesses. It's clear that the Biden administration is working with local farmers to increase American food production and get that number up. I look forward to continuing to work with the administration, Senator Booker, and the rest of my colleagues on this important effort."

The comprehensive report sheds light on the significant role played by AMS and DLA in sourcing domestic food from approved vendors for schools, food banks, Indian reservations and military installations. With over $33 billion for food contracts sourced within the United States from domestic vendors between fiscal years 2018 and 2022, the report underscores the substantial impact of federal food purchasing decisions on domestic food production and marketing, including the production of locally grown food. AMS and DLA accounted for over 90 percent of these federal food purchases

Both AMS and DLA have prioritized small business participation, with over 45% of the obligated amounts going to contracts with small businesses. This investment of $13.6 billion in small business participation is important for fostering an environment that encourages the growth and success of small businesses, which are the backbone of our economy. Additionally, the report discusses efforts by AMS and DLA to support the purchase of locally grown food, but highlights the fact that there are no specific requirements for the agencies to source locally. AMS offers financial assistance to states and tribal governments to increase the availability of locally grown food. DLA encourages vendors to consider sourcing food locally, and for the USDA DOD Fresh program, it requires vendors to provide information about where the food was grown. These initiatives reflect a growing recognition of the importance of local and regional sourcing practices. 

The full text of the report can be found here.