This round will fund an additional $500 million for combination food boxes to be delivered through the end of the year. The announcement had been rumored for several weeks, and there was growing fear that government assistance to farmers and consumers could end once the election is completed Nov. 3.

The announcement Friday will add to the approximately $1 billion in dairy products already provided since last May.

“The Farmers to Families Food Box Program has proven to be an effective benefit for families needing assistance and for dairy farmers and processors providing high-quality products to those families via food boxes,” says Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation.

“We hope the department will build upon its successes and lessons learned from this program as it considers further initiatives during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis and beyond,” says Mulhern.

The program distributes fresh produce, dairy products, fluid milk and meat products at food banks, non-profit food distribution centers and other organizations across the country. More than 110 million food boxes have been delivered thus far.

For more on the program, click here.