COLUMBUS, Ohio — As supply chain disruptions continue across the country, the United States Department of Agriculture is stepping in to help.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the money will help school meal program operators work through the challenges brought on by supply chain disruptions.

“Now, more than ever, America’s children need access to healthy and nutritious foods and our school nutrition professionals play a huge role in making that happen. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, school districts have met extraordinary challenges to ensure that every child has the food needed to learn, grow and thrive. The food and funds USDA is distributing will help ensure schools have the resources they need to continue to serve our nation’s schoolchildren quality food they can depend on, all while building a stronger, fairer, and more competitive food system," Vilsack said.

Agriculture expert Andy Vance explained the money will be divided into three main portions.

"There are three buckets included in what's called the Supply Chain Assistance Fund, and this is where USDA is giving money directly to schools to buy food," Vance said. "People may not realize one of the biggest portions of U.S. Department of Agriculture spending for our tax dollars is on food and nutrition programs like the most recognizable of which perhaps is the school nutrition program, where schools are able to offer reduced price or free lunches and breakfasts to kids who have some economic need. And so this is one of the pieces of that puzzle where they're actually giving money directly to schools to buy food for those programs. Another smaller bucket is what's called The Local Food for Schools Program, where schools are encouraged to buy foods from local sources. And then the third one is USDA Food Purchases, where the department is actually buying food directly and then distributing the food to school."

The funding is made available through USDA’s Commodity Credit Corporation.