TEFAP

Government & Politics abbreviation · Public Program

TEFAP
Stands forThe Emergency Food Assistance Program
CategoriesGovernment & Politics

TEFAP stands for The Emergency Food Assistance Program, a public program abbreviation.

USDA program that buys domestic farm products, such as canned goods, cheese, fruit and meat, and distributes them free through states to food banks, pantries and soup kitchens serving low-income people.

Example: About a third of the pantry's shelves are stocked with TEFAP commodities.

Usage notes

It began in 1981 as a way to distribute surplus government cheese and other dairy stocks, the origin of the phrase "government cheese". Purchases rise during trade disputes and price downturns, when USDA buys surplus crops to support farmers. The initial "The" is part of the official abbreviation.

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  • VFC – Vaccines for Children
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  • WPA – Works Progress Administration

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