Schumer: USDA to purchase up to $25M in surplus grape juice

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will use up to $25 million in Section 32 program funds to purchase concord-grape juice for use in domestic-nutrition programs.

U.S. Senators Charles Schumer (D–N.Y.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D–N.Y.) made the announcement in a news release Schumer’s office released on Wednesday.

The grape industry currently has a surplus of Concord grapes following a “large” 2014 crop, the lawmakers said in the release.

New York has 281 growers and over 9,700 acres of Concord vineyards that are part of the industry, they said. 

Schumer and Gillibrand requested the USDA help purchase some of the surplus product to try to ensure that prices remain stable for the industry, according to the release.

The USDA plans to buy $25 million in Concord grape juice nationwide, a purchase that will supplement the USDA’s supply for nutrition programs, such as the school-lunch program.

The Democratic lawmakers contend it is “great news” for growers in Central New York, the Finger Lakes, and Western New York.

More juice sales mean more profit for the state’s growers, Schumer said in the news release.

“On top of that, it means the market for their product will be stable ahead of next year’s harvest, so they will now have the certainty they need to make important decisions on hiring,” said Schumer. 

 “When we connect our grape growers in Western New York and the Finger Lakes, we can help strengthen our agriculture economy, while bringing healthy, nutritious grape juice to school children across the country,” Gillibrand said in the news release.

The USDA uses Section 32 program funds to purchase agriculture products for nutrition programs such as the school lunch program.

These USDA “bonus buys” have been effective in the past to stabilize agriculture markets while increasing the supply of foods available for domestic food-assistance programs, according to the lawmakers. This latest bonus buy will benefit grape producers in New York, Washington, Michigan, Pennsylvania Ohio, Arkansas, Missouri, and Indiana, they said.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com