USDA Cuts Have Farmers Looking for Other Options

The challenge is on for growers across America: how to replace the billions of federal dollars that previously paid for local food that went to students and families struggling with the costs of everyday life. Recent cuts by the U.S. Department of Agriculture have significantly impacted food pantries and schools across the nation, disrupting local food systems, and jeopardizing access to fresh produce.

Impact on Food Pantries

The USDA's termination of the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program has led to a disruption of over $1 billion in funding that previously supported food banks in purchasing local produce and meats. This abrupt funding loss has strained food banks already grappling with increased demand due to inflation. The cuts are part of the DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) priority led by billionaire businessman Elon Musk to cut $1 trillion in federal spending in light of the country’s $37 trillion debt.

Half of the $1 billion in USDA funding changes came from the $500 million Local Food Purchase Assistance Program (LFPA). The other half was paused in funding from the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP).

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Here are some of the cuts where local farmers could be impacted if they don’t find other purchasers for their products:

• The Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank anticipates a 13% reduction in food distribution, amounting to a loss of 6.3 million pounds of food annually. This could mean reduced demand for Pennsylvania producers’ meat and dairy.

  
  

• Feeding America West Michigan lost 32 truckloads previously scheduled for delivery because of the USDA cuts. Those truckloads add up to about 600,000 pounds of food worth nearly $1.1 million.

  
  

• The East Texas Food Bank also found out that truckloads of expected food through the USDA would not be showing up. “This food equates to 360,000 pounds valued at $750,000,” CEO David Emerson said in a statement. Bread, poultry, meat, and produce orders from area producers were all affected. 

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USDA Cuts Mean Loss of Local Produce for Schools

Schools have also felt the effects of USDA funding cuts, particularly concerning programs that sourced local foods for student meals. DOGE canceled the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program. The program had received $660 million per year to help provide meals for students.

The loss left school districts scrambling to adjust. The Scottsdale Unified School District in Arizona faced a funding loss of $100,000, primarily affecting purchases of fresh fruits, vegetables, and locally produced beef.

For context: $100,000 represents about 2% of the district’s total spending on food.

Director Patti Bilbrey told CBS News, “It wasn't just about keeping food costs low. It meant supporting your community and your local farmers in your state."

The school district in Milan, Tennessee, received beef, broccoli, purple hull peas, tomatoes, and melons from local growers. The USDA cuts eliminate additional funding the district used since the COVID-19 pandemic. Food Service Supervisor Vickie Dunaway said the district will have to rely on more processed foods for students, which are less healthy but cheaper.

“I don’t think that it’s a pandemic thing at all,” Dunaway said. “I think it’s just a matter of moving forward and educating our kids and communities on the proper way of eating.”

Overall, the cuts will lead to discussions across the country on whether programs were too expensive to continue now that the pandemic has ended, and federal decisionmakers should focus on reducing government spending; whether students will now lose access to healthier foods; and whether farmers will be able to find alternative local markets for their products.