78 STAT.]
PUBLIC LAW 88-525-AUG. 31, 1964
703
Public Law 88-525 AN ACT To strengthen the agricultural economy; to help to achieve a fuller and more effective use of food abundances; to provide for improved levels of nutrition among low-income households through a cooperative Federal-State program of food assistance to be operated through normal channels of trade; and for other purposes.
Be it enacted 6y the Senate and Hovise of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That this Act may be cited as "The Food Stamp Act of 1964". DECLARATION OF POLICY
SEC. 2. It is hereby declared to be the policy of Congress, in order to promote the general welfare, that the Nation's abundance of food should be utilized cooperatively by the States, the Federal Government, and local governmental units to the maximum extent practicable to safeguard the health and well-being of the Nation's population and raise levels of nutrition among low-income households. The Congress hereby finds that increased utilization of foods in establishing and maintaining adequate national levels of nutrition will tend to cause the distribution in a beneficial manner of our agricultural abundances and will Strengthen our agricultural economy, as well as result in more orderly marketing and distribution of food. To effectuate the policy of Congress and the purposes of this Act, a food stamp program, which will permit those households with low incomes to receive a greater share of the Nation's food abundance, is herein authorized. DEFINITIONS
SEC. 3. As used in this Act— (a) The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of Agriculture. (b) The term "food" means any food or food product for human consumption except alcoholic beverages, tobacco, those foods which are identified on the package as being imported, and meat and meat products which are imported. (c) The term "coupon" means any coupon, stamp, or type of certificate issued pursuant to the provisions of this Act. (d) The t e r ^ "coupon allotment" means the total value of coupons to be issued to a household during each month or other time period. (e) The term "household" shall mean a group of related or nonrelated individuals, who are not residents of an institution or boarding house, but are living as one economic unit sharing common cooking facilities and for whom food is customarily purchased in common. The term "household" shall also mean a single individual living alone who has cooking facilities and who purchases and prepares food for home consumption. (f) The term "retail food store" means an establishment, including a recognized department thereof, or a house-to-house trade route which sells food to households for home consumption. (g) The term "wholesale food concern" means an establishment which sells food to retail food stores for resale to households. (h) The term "State agency" means the agency of the State government which has responsibility for the administration of the federally aided public assistance programs. (i) The term "bank" means member or nonmember banks of the Federal Reserve System. (j) The term "State" means the fifty States and the District of Columbia.
August 31, 1964 [H. R. 10222]
The Food Stamp Act of 1964.
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