The Pennsylvania Agricultural Surplus System (PASS) program helps to support Pennsylvania’s agricultural industry statewide – making connections between production agriculture and the non-profit sector responsible for getting more nutritious food into the hands of Pennsylvanians at risk of hunger.
What is PASS?
PASS provides an efficient mechanism for Pennsylvania’s agricultural industry to donate safe, wholesome food products while being reimbursed for the costs involved in harvesting, processing, packaging, and transporting these foods. Without PASS, these food products would likely otherwise be left to rot in the field, be plowed under, be dumped, or be landfilled.
What kinds of foods are procured through PASS?
PASS funding is used to procure and distribute several dozen different types of products produced right here in Pennsylvania. These products include: apples, asparagus, broccoli, butter, cabbage, cheese, chicken, corn, cucumbers, eggs, green beans, ground beef, lettuce, milk, peaches, pears, potatoes, squash, strawberries, tomatoes, yogurt, and zucchini.
How are PASS products distributed?
Thirteen local, charitable food distributors procure foods from Pennsylvania agricultural producers, packers, and processors, using state funding provided for the PASS program. Working with more than 2,700 local charitable partners – including food pantries, soup kitchens, feeding programs, and shelters – these distributors allocate food to help feed low-income Pennsylvanians in need of food assistance in all 67 counties.
Who receives the food?
Anyone eligible to receive food through food assistance programs operated by the Unites States Department of Agriculture, such as The Emergency Food Assistance Program, and/or the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, such as the State Food Purchase Program, is eligible to receive foods procured through the PASS program.
Questions?
Producers interested in participating in PASS should contact Tom Mainzer, Feeding Pennsylvania's Director of Agricultural Partnerships, at tmainzer@feedingpa.org.
Questions regarding this program should be directed to the Bureau of Food Assistance by calling 800-468-2433, or emailing at RA-fooddist@pa.gov.
Contact
Resources
PASS Distributors Contact Information (PDF)
Links