U.S. Government to Purchase $41 Million in Pork… Supporting Market Stabilization for Agricultural, Livestock, and Fisheries Products

The U.S. government plans to purchase a total of $472.5 million (approximately 630 billion won) worth of domestic agricultural, livestock, and fishery products, including $41 million (approximately 54.7 billion won) worth of pork.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a large-scale purchasing plan for U.S. agricultural and fishery products on October 29. This measure is intended to simultaneously support producers, strengthen the domestic food supply chain, and secure the volume needed for food assistance programs.

The items to be purchased include pork and chicken, as well as dairy products, rice, nuts, legumes, fruits, and seafood. In the meat sector, $41 million (approx. 54.7 billion won) was allocated for pork and $20 million (approx. 26.7 billion won) for chicken. The planned purchase amount for the two items is $61 million (approx. 81.3 billion won), which is about 12.9% of the total plan.

Pursuing the purchase of 54.7 billion won worth of pork and 26.7 billion won worth of chicken

Dairy products account for the largest share of this purchasing plan. The planned purchase amount for dairy products is $165.5 million (approximately 220.7 billion won), which accounts for about 35% of the total.

Pork accounts for about 8.7% of the total planned purchase amount, and chicken accounts for about 4.2%. In addition, $37 million (approx. 49.3 billion won) of split peas, $30 million (approx. 40 billion won) of almonds, $29 million (approx. 38.7 billion won) of lentils, $25 million (approx. 33.3 billion won) of raisins, and $22 million (approx. 29.3 billion won) of hazelnuts were also included in the purchase list.

Support for producers and expansion of food supply through government purchasing

This purchase will be handled by the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) under the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The AMS plans to conduct a tender for U.S. agricultural and fishery products and sign contracts with selected suppliers to secure the quantities needed for the food assistance program.

The USDA expects this measure to provide additional sales channels for agricultural and fisheries producers and support economic activities in related industries, such as processing, packaging, and transportation. The purchased food is scheduled to be supplied to food support networks, including food banks, and various nutrition support programs within the United States.

Detailed purchase quantities and specifications will be determined through future bidding.

This announcement presents the projected purchase amounts for each item, and actual purchase contracts have not yet been concluded. AMS plans to issue bid announcements for each item in the future and proceed with the purchasing process.

The products subject to purchase must be produced and processed in the United States, and specific purchase specifications and delivery conditions will be presented through the tender notice. In the case of pork, a purchase plan worth $41 million (approximately 54.7 billion won) has been announced so far, but specific cuts, weights, and delivery schedules have not been disclosed.

Utilizing the U.S. 'Section 32' system

Meanwhile, this purchase is being carried out through the U.S. 'Section 32' system. Section 32 is a system based on Section 32 of the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1935, a policy tool designed to allow the U.S. government to purchase domestic agricultural, livestock, and fishery products to support producers and promote market stability.

Food purchased by the government is supplied to those in need through food banks and nutrition support programs. This is a system that has been in operation in the United States for a long time, promoting the expansion of consumption of agricultural, livestock, and fishery products alongside food assistance.

Sources and materials
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to announce on October 29, 2026
USDA Press Release·AMS Section 32 Purchase Notice
※ The reference photos were not taken on the day of the presentation, and the webpage captures are for reference purposes only to verify the original text.