PRESS RELEASE

LDAF Helps Red Cross And Schools To Stock Pantries
Department of Agriculture and Forestry News Update
BATON ROUGE, La. (September 9, 2008) - Thousands of hot meals are being served to Louisiana residents in areas affected by Hurricane Gustav through a partnership between the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

LDAF Commissioner Mike Strain, D.V.M., said the LDAF Office of Marketing, Food Distribution Division, is distributing USDA-donated commodities to kitchens operated by the American Red Cross in storm-damaged communities.

The LDAF Food Distribution Division is also making freezer space available to the Salvation Army, the Louisiana Department of Corrections, and several East Baton Rouge and Ascension parish schools that lost power during the hurricane. In addition, LDAF has delivered more than 25,000 meals-ready-to-eat (MREs) to residents in the Baton Rouge and Baker areas.

"With so many folks in the dark, there is a great need for hot meals," Strai! n said. "We are working with the Red Cross and schools in the affected areas to determine their needs and get food to them as quickly and efficiently as possible."

The Food Distribution Division is standing by to help replenish school food supplies as they prepare to reopen, with the delivery of more than 2300 cases of meats, fruits, and vegetables to affected schools.
To date, LDAF has delivered more than 475 cases of various fruits and vegetables to Red Cross kitchen locations in Alexandria, Baton Rouge, Houma, Livingston, and Westwego.

Strain said the Food Distribution division is responsible for receiving, storing, and distributing USDA-donated commodities for the school lunch program and other donated food programs administered by the USDA.
"It's one of our many duties," Strain said. "We're glad to help in any way we can."
Visit www.ldaf.state.la.us for the latest agriculture and forestry information.

For the latest on the recovery from Hurricane Gustav, you can visit emergency.louisiana.gov or call the state's emergency hotline at 1-866-288-2484 to listen to a recorded message with the most up-to-date information.

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