McLean, Va. – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) this week announced its intent to purchase over 100,000 bushels of apples as part of the Food for Progress agreement with the Global Jewish Assistance and Relief Network (GJARN). Apples, along with other agricultural commodities, will be purchased for inclusion and distribution in the Russia food aid package.

“The combination of increased domestic supplies and the loss of significant export markets has created sever economic problems for apple growers across the country,” wrote U.S. Apple Association (USApple) President and CEO Kraig R. Naasz in a letter to then Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman on Nov. 25, 1998. “We believe that including apples and apple products for humanitarian aid to Russia would help alleviate the economic distress experienced by our industry, while providing the people of that country with a wholesome, nutritious and fat-free food high in fiber.

USApple requested for the first time the inclusion of apples and apple products in the Food for Progress Program in November 1998, and has since been working with USDA to bring this program to fruition.

“If, as we fully expect, this trial purchase of fresh apples is successful, it will establish an important precedent for the possible inclusion of additional fresh apples in future humanitarian aid programs,” said Naasz.

Other commodities included in the USDA-GJARN agreement are wheat flour, rice, peas, lentils, nonfat dry milk and vegetable oil. Combined, underprivileged Russians will receive approximately 12,000 metric tons of food aid, including 2,000 metric tons of fresh apples.

GJARN plans to distribute the food to approximately one million underprivileged people in Russia over a 12-month period. GJARN will focus its distribution program in the Russian Far East, Volga, Urals, Northern Russia, Southern Russian, and Central Russia. Individuals in orphanages, hospitals and schools, as well as veterans, disabled persons, pensioners, and children from large and single-parent families will benefit from this food aid agreement.

USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) will provide specific program details regarding apple purchases when it invites bids from the industry, which are expected early this fall.

For more information, industry members are encouraged to contact USApple at (703) 442-8850.

The U.S. Apple Association (USApple) is the national trade association representing all segments of the apple industry. Members include 40 state apple associations representing 9,000 apple growers throughout the country, as well as nearly 500 individual firms involved in the apple business. USApple’s mission is to provide the means for all segments of the U.S. apple industry to join in appropriate collective efforts to profitably produce and market apples and apple products.