Event Planner Wins, Others Cry Foul in Food-Box Bidding War (1)

The Agriculture Department is shelling out more than $1.2 billion for food boxes designed to relieve Americans’ hunger and farmers’ sales losses during the coronavirus pandemic. One of the biggest awards—$39 million—will go to a Texas event manager that specializes in weddings.

CRE8AD8 LLC is one of almost 200 suppliers to receive a contract under a new federal program that puts surplus dairy, meat, and produce into boxes for food banks and other nonprofits. Small agriculture businesses, meanwhile, are criticizing the government’s choice in suppliers, which include Gordon Food Service Inc. and Tyson Foods Inc.

The Agriculture Department launched the ...