The USDA will make nearly $8 million available to support the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP) Produce Prescription Program, which provides financial and non-financial incentives to income-eligible families to purchase fresh produce items to improve dietary health. The funding is a part of USDA’s ongoing American Rescue Plan efforts.
GusNIP projects bring together stakeholders from domestic food and healthcare systems to improve the health and nutritional intake of families and use data to identify and improve best practices.
“USDA continues to make strides in transforming our Nation’s food system,” said Dr. Chavonda Jacobs-Young, undersecretary for research, education, and economics, and USDA chief scientist, in a statement. “Through this investment, USDA is making more nutritious food available to more people at more affordable prices. The GusNIP Produce Prescription program demonstrates the invaluable impact that access to fresh fruits and vegetables has on communities in need.”
The investment will be used to fund 17 projects from the previous fiscal year that were highly ranked but lacked support due to budget constraints. Some of these projects include:
• Common Pantry’s Food MD Program, a three-month training to build healthy dietary behaviors and increase food security for people at risk of developing a diet-related chronic disease.
• The Appalachian Farmacy Produce Prescription Program to provide 360 households with $240 in direct incentives to purchase fresh produce.
• The Friends in Service to Community Food Bank's initiative to improve health outcomes and nutrition self-efficacy.
• University Healthcare Physicians, Inc. plan to open a mobile teaching kitchen and distribution unit that will be used to expand access to healthy food and cooking and nutrition education.
USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture will administer the funds. It invested $1.96 billion in 2021 toward improving the food system.
Related: Hannaford, Fishermen's Association Partner on Monkfish Stew; USDA Provides WIC Funding Flexibilities