The Biden-Harris administration has come under fire after admitting that “mistakes” within the Department of Agriculture led to widespread food shortages affecting Native American tribes and low-income seniors in at least eight states. The shortages, which began in July, have left many without essential food supplies, prompting urgent corrective measures.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack revealed that the crisis was triggered by a flawed decision to award a critical food distribution contract to a sole distributor, Paris Brothers Inc. This move resulted in significant delays and cancellations of food deliveries, particularly for the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations and the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, which supports low-income seniors.
“We’re learning that our system was flawed, and mistakes were made,” Vilsack told Politico, acknowledging the stress and hardship caused by the disruptions. He assured that efforts are being made to rectify the situation, although the road to recovery may be long and costly.
To address the crisis, the USDA is re-engaging Americold, the previous distributor, for a six-month contract set to begin soon. In the meantime, FEMA officials have been called in to expedite food deliveries, with the Department of Defense expected to step in once FEMA’s involvement ends. These emergency measures are expected to come with a significant price tag for taxpayers.
Mary Greene-Trotter, who directs the food distribution program for North Dakota’s Spirit Lake Tribe, described the situation as a “train wreck” as vital supplies like flour, meat, and canned goods have failed to arrive. Tribes in North Dakota, South Dakota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Minnesota, Oregon, and Washington are among the hardest hit.
Vilsack admitted that senior officials were not initially involved when concerns were first raised, leading to a delayed response that exacerbated the situation. “By then, we were dealing with circumstances, pretty significant, pretty serious, and supply chains, once they come unraveled, it doesn’t take much to unravel them, but it takes a great deal to get them back on track,” he said.
This revelation of administrative failure has raised questions about the Biden-Harris administration’s handling of critical resources, particularly for vulnerable communities that rely on federal support.
