USDA provides $10 million to American Samoa to increase nutrition benefits, strengthen local food supply chain

SAN FRANCISCO, September 8, 2022 – To address food insecurity in American Samoa and provide more equitable resources to U.S. territories, USDA Food and Nutrition Service is providing a $10 million grant to bolster the American Samoa Nutrition Assistance Program, or ASNAP. This funding is in addition to the annual block grant the territory receives and will be used to increase nutrition assistance benefits for ASNAP participants for one year. Benefits will be spent locally, which in turn will increase the purchasing power of local grocery stores to purchase food from local producers and farmers.

“Our fellow citizens in American Samoa are dealing with unprecedented supply chain challenges, made even more complex by the island’s rural, remote location,” said Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services Stacy Dean. “These funds will put more resources into their hands, which will then be invested back into the local community to foster a stronger, more resilient food system.”

This $10 million grant is funded by the American Rescue Plan Act and supports USDA’s goals of transforming local food systems and increasing nutrition security. The funds allow American Samoa to provide $277 per month to all current ASNAP participants from October 1, 2022, through September 30, 2023. This is an increase of between $100 and $183 per month over current benefit levels. For the lowest-income ASNAP participants, American Samoa will also provide $208 per month to an additional household member, raising the total household benefit to $485 per month.

This grant will help mitigate the lasting effects of the pandemic and stimulate the local food system. It will also strengthen current efforts by the local government to diversify and increase food production on the island, starting with traditional and specialty crops and livestock.

Through the years, Americans struggling to put food on their tables have relied on USDA’s nutrition assistance programs. They are among the most far-reaching, powerful tools available to ensure that all Americans, regardless of race, ethnicity, or background, have access to healthy, affordable food.

Households in American Samoa with questions about nutrition assistance eligibility and benefits should contact the American Samoa Department of Human and Social Services.

USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) leverages its 15 nutrition assistance programs to ensure that children, low-income individuals, and families have opportunities for a better future through equitable access to safe, healthy, and nutritious food, while building a more resilient food system. Under the leadership of Secretary Tom Vilsack, FNS is fighting to end food and nutrition insecurity for all through programs such as SNAP, school meals, and WIC. FNS also provides science-based nutrition recommendations through the co-development of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. To learn more, visit www.fns.usda.gov and follow @USDANutrition.

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