The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) recently announced nearly $40 million in funding to support the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP) Produce Prescription Program.

The funding comes through the USDA American Rescue Plan Act.

Projects under the GusNIP Produce Prescription Program seek "to improve the health and nutrition status of participating households, facilitate growth in underrepresented areas and communities, as well as collect and aggregate data to identify best practices on a broad scale," a NIFA press release said this week. 

“Produce Prescriptions projects are already making an invaluable impact throughout the nation, providing access to fresh fruits and vegetables to people who may not otherwise be able to afford them,” Dr. Dionne Toombs, NIFA acting director, said in the release. “This funding will allow NIFA to support even more Produce Prescription projects that will both improve dietary health and reduce food insecurity for those in need.”

The projects under the program will provide various incentives to encourage families to improve their health, reduce individual and household food insecurity, and reduce healthcare costs through a healthy diet that includes fresh fruits and vegetables.

Of the investment, $17.5 million will be used to fund GusNIP Produce Prescription applications from fiscal year 2021. The remaining $22.5 million will go toward fiscal year 2022 projects.

The USDA also announced a framework that will seek to bolster the nation's food supply chain to improve market fairness and resiliency.