The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) last week announced it will buy more than $600 million in chicken and beef products and an additional $50 million in liquid milk for nutrition assistance programs.

The USDA said it would make the purchases under Section 32 of the Act of Aug. 24, 1935, which allows the USDA to take money from customs duties and use it for a wide variety of things like disaster payments and purchasing surplus commodities.

The USDA said...