The Department of Agriculture’s second effort at easing the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic has distributed more than half its intended funding.

The Trump administration is claiming success in the “phase one” trade deal with China with a new report released less than two weeks before the presidential election.

The Department of Agriculture will funnel another $500 million to the Farmers to Families Food Box Program and plans to issue contracts for the fourth round of the program by the end of next week.

USDA will allow free school meals to be available to children through the rest of the school year, the department announced Friday.

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue improperly injected political campaigning into a Farmers to Families Food Box event in North Carolina, a government watchdog agency concluded Thursday, directing Perdue to reimburse the government for the costs of his participation at the event.