Emergency Food Assistance and Commodity Distribution Act of 1983
Emergency Food Assistance and Commodity Distribution Act of 1983 - Amends the Agriculture and Food Act of 1981 to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to donate (after first providing for domestic and foreign requirements) excess Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) commodities to organizations running emergency and nonemergency feeding programs through FY 1986.
Directs the Secretary to publish an annual two-year estimate of available commodities (the first one to be published by October 1, 1983).
Provides for State distribution of such commodities. Declares that the Secretary shall distribute commodities directly in those States where State agencies are prohibited from so doing. Gives priority to emergency organizations.
Directs the CCC to pay initial processing and packaging costs.
Directs the CCC to pay up to $65,000,000 of State agency program expenses. Gives priority to emergency organizations.
Prohibits States from charging recipient agencies for any program costs.
Directs the CCC to encourage commodity use by distributing commodities to private companies for processing into food products for recipient agencies. States that such agencies shall bear processing costs, except that the CCC shall make up to $10,000,000 available annually to cover emergency organization expenses.
Permits distributions under this Act to be carried out in areas where the food stamp plan is operating.
Requires commodity distribution to begin: (1) within 30 days to emergency recipients; and (2) within 90 days to other recipients.
Terminates the authority under this Act at the end of FY 1986.
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 302.