The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has canceled over $1 billion in federal spending previously allocated for local food purchasing programs in schools and food banks. The decision ends two key initiatives: the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program (LFS) and the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA).
The USDA’s decision will cut approximately $660 million intended for schools and childcare facilities to buy food from nearby farms in 2025. This funding, which many institutions had been counting on, was designed to support local food systems and improve access to fresh produce.
In addition, the LFPA program, which supplies food banks and feeding organizations, will not receive a second round of funding for the 2025 fiscal year. Although the USDA stated it would unfreeze funds for existing LFPA agreements, no new allocations are planned. Previous LFPA and LFPA Plus agreements that still have remaining funds will continue to operate through their designated periods.
The Biden administration had expanded these programs to strengthen local food supply chains and reduce reliance on major food companies. Last year, USDA announced over $1 billion in additional funding for both initiatives through the Commodity Credit Corporation, a fund established to support agricultural commodity purchases.
The cuts have sparked concern among school nutrition officials struggling with rising food costs and limited federal meal reimbursement rates. In Massachusetts, Governor Maura Healey criticized the decision, highlighting that her state would lose $12 million intended for local school districts.
Source: Politico
You get what you pay/vote for. In order to pay for extension of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, cuts to government programs was needed.
Apparently it’s more important to continue to provide tax cuts, that mostly benefit the wealthy and corporations, than it is to ensure that our children receive proper nutrition. IMHO that’s immoral.