7 U.S.C. § 7515 — Allotment and delivery of commodities

(a) Mandatory allotments: Each fiscal year, the Secretary must allot: (1) 60 percent of the total value of additional commodities, split among states so each state's share matches its share of the nationwide total number of people in households below the poverty line; and (2) 40 percent of the total value, split among states so each state's share matches its share of the nationwide average monthly number of unemployed people that fiscal year. Each state is entitled to receive its calculated share under both formulas. (b) Reallocation: The Secretary must notify each state of the amount it is allotted under subsection (a). Each state must promptly notify the Secretary if it will not accept some or all of that allotment. When a state declines, the Secretary must reallocate and distribute the declined amount under the same formula in subsection (a). The Secretary must also set up procedures letting states decline portions of their allocation as they see fit during the year, with the Secretary reallocating and distributing those declined portions too. If a drought, flood, hurricane, or other natural disaster affects large numbers of people in a state, county, or parish, the Secretary may ask states not affected by the disaster to let their allotted commodities be reallocated to the disaster-affected areas. (c) Administration: (1) Commodities for each fiscal year must be delivered to states at reasonable intervals, based on the grants calculated under subsection (a) or reallocated under subsection (b), before December 31 of the following fiscal year. (2) Each state is entitled to receive the value of additional commodities determined under subsection (a). (d) Maintenance of effort: If a state uses its own funds to provide commodities or services to organizations that also receive funds or services under this section, the state must not reduce the level of support it already provides those organizations.