MILLS RIVERS, N.C. — President Trump touted his Farmers to Families Food Box program on the campaign trail in Mills River, North Carolina on Monday after touring a produce plant, saying his administration is helping feed families in need during the coronavirus pandemic.
The administration purchased $3 billion in fresh produce for the program and on Monday he announced an additional $1 billion for Farmers to Families. More than 70,000 boxes of food have been delivered to charities and food banks thus far.
“I am thrilled to be at the Flavors First Growers and Packers facility here in the great state of North Carolina. You know Joe Biden was supposed to be in Wisconsin but he never showed up — I showed up,” Mr. Trump said, stressing his campaign strategy compared to Democratic nominee Joe Biden, who has mostly been campaigning from home virtually.
“What we have done is incredible,” Mr. Trump said of his administration’s response to the pandemic.
Mr. Trump took the stage with a crowd standing and sitting around outside the plant, though there was not much social distancing and only some audience members wore masks.
The president spoke at the Republican National Convention in Charlotte earlier in the day, rallying his base ahead of their four day party gathering. Delegates officially nominated Mr. Trump for the 2020 GOP presidential nomination. He is expected to accept the nomination on Thursday, the final day of the convention.
On his way to Mills River, Mr. Trump stopped in Fletcher, North Carolina and quickly spoke to a crowd, telling them the stock market is booming and will come back from the virus, which crushed the U.S. economy and resulted in roughly 30 million people unemployed.
Mr. Trump also touted the Food and Drug Administration approving a blood plasma antibody treatment for the coronavirus. The FDA commissioner said the treatment appeared to shorten the length of a COVID-19 infection and decrease its severity.
“We got the FDA to do it very quickly,” Mr. Trump told the crowd.
• Alex Swoyer reported from Washington.
