Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Rules, Regulations On Commodities Are Changing

Everyone's familiar with government commodities.

Those foods given to families at or below the poverty level to help stretch what little money they have a bit further.

These foods are donated by the United Stated Department of Agriculture (USDA) for this purpose and distributed by this agency as well. The items come from farm surpluses.

On the local level, the commodities are given out by community action agencies, such as the Clark County Adult Development Center in Gurdon.

Charlotte Shepherd, director of the center, said schedules are developed as to when the commodities are to be passed out, and the community residents notified through newspaper and radio spots.

Eligibility for the goods given away, she said, is based on income, with this being revised annually. The income level is based on household size, or the number of people living in the home combined with the total amount of money being brought in.

The first step required for someone to get the commodities is to come in and apply on the first day they are to be distributed. An application, Shepherd said, must be filled out stating the amount of money coming into the household, how many people live there and how many heads of the house there are.

The commodity regulations allow for one head of the house regardless of how many people live there.

The applications filled out are certification for the items given out. And, Shepherd said, the person filling out the application can specify another person to actually pick the goods up for them.

In cases of fraud, she said, the person committing the act should know they are violating a federal law and can be punished accordingly. The punishment can be imprisonment and/or a fine.

Shepherd said the regulations for a second person getting commodities for another are being changed. The changes, she said, will require the person picking the goods up to bring a dated note from the one on the application card giving them permission. Then, they must show some form of identification before they will be given the commodities. This can be a social security number or driver's license.

In addition, the rules and regulations on getting recertified are being changed somewhat. Identification and proof of income must be shown when reapplying. Shepherd said only the person seeking recertification can fill out the card, they can't send someone else to do it for them.

The commodities card people receive has a phone number on it they can use if they feel they have been discriminated against. Discrimination is illegal as the program is an equal opportunity federal program, Shepherd said.

Some of the foodstuffs people receive through the commodities program include canned fruit, peanut butter, rice, apple juice, meal and dry beans.

Shepherd said no one knows what commodities to expect, as no advance information is given about what's being shipped.

Interestingly enough, she said, the CADC isn't allowed to use commodities in the meals it prepares for senior citizens. Commodities can be used, though, in soup kitchens where the meals are free.

The supply of commodities sent to a given site is limited, she said. Because of this, those on the list should come early. Commodities are distributed on a first come, first served basis.

Shepherd said USDA representatives check local programs to make sure those working them are following the proper procedures and to monitor how the local program is operating.

Residents are allowed to have one sack of commodities per household, but can return the second day if anything was left from the first day. Shepherd said it doesn't matter how many heads of a household there are, each household gets one bag at a time, with everyone on the list to get the same amount.

The amount of commodities the CADC used to receive was larger than it is now, but this is because fewer people are coming to get the items given away, Shepherd said.

Another distribution is expected for later this year, she said, but this is not etched in stone. When the center is notified about the distribution time, it will be publicized.