commodity distribution programs

commodity distribution programs Sec. 1304. (a) Effective October 1, 1977, sections 4(a) and 4(b) of the Agriculture and Consumer Protection Act of 1973, as amended, are amended to read as follows: “Sec. 4. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary may, during fiscal years 1978, 1979, 1980. and 1981, purchase and distribute sufficient agricultural commodities with funds appropriated from the general fund of the Treasury to maintain the traditional level of assistance for food assistance programs as are authorized by law, including but not limited to distribution to institutions, supplemental feeding programs wherever located, disaster areas, summer camps for children, the United States Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, and Indians, whenever a tribal organization requests distribution of federally donated foods pursuant to section 4(b) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977. In providing for commodity distribution to Indians, the Secretary shall improve the variety and quantity of commodities supplied to Indians in order to provide them an opportunity to obtain a more nutritious diet. “(b) The Secretary may furnish commodities to summer camps for children in which the number of adults participating in camp activities as compared with the number of children under 18 years of age so participating is not unreasonable in light of the nature of such camp and the characteristics of the children in attendance.”. (b) Effective October 1, 1977, the Agriculture and Consumer Protection Act of 1973, as amended, is amended by— (1) redesignating section 5 as section 6; and (2) inserting after section 4 a new section 5 as follows: “commodity supplemental food program “Sec. 5. (a) In carrying out the supplemental feeding program (hereinafter referred to as the ‘commodity supplemental food program’) to which reference is made in section 4 of this Act. the Secretary of Agriculture shall pay to each State or local agency administering any such program, for each of the fiscal years 1978 through 1981, an amount equal to its administrative costs not in excess of an amount equal to 15 per centum of the total amount of the value of commodities made available to the State or local agency for such program in such fiscal year, “(b) During the first three months of any commodity supplemental food program, or until such program reaches its projected caseload level, whichever comes first, the Secretary shall pay those administrative costs necessary to commence the program successfully: Pro-91 STAT. 981vided, That in no event shall administrative costs paid by the Secretary for any fiscal year exceed the limitation established in subsection (a) of this section. “(c) Administrative costs for the purposes of the commodity supplemental food program shall include, but not be limited to, expenses for information and referral, operation, monitoring, nutrition education, start-up costs, and general administration, including staff, warehouse and transportation personnel, insurance, and administration of the State or local office. “(d) During each fiscal year the commodity supplemental food program is in operation, the types and varieties of commodities and their proportional amounts shall be determined by the Secretary, but, if the Secretary proposes to make any significant changes in the types, varieties, or proportional amounts from those that were available or were planned at the beginning of the fiscal year (or as were available during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1976, whichever is greater) the Secretary shall report such changes before implementation to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate. “(e) The Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to issue such regulations as may be necessary to carry out the commodity supplemental food program.”.