The Trump Administration recently nixed more than $1 billion from two programs that helped food banks and school meal programs buy local foods, including $660 million for schoolchildren.
Created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Local Food Purchase Assistance and the Local Food for Schools programs aimed to build more resilient supply chains of domestic food by connecting schools and food pantries with small ranches, farms, and dairies. The program was initially funded by 2021’s American Rescue Plan Act but later expanded by the Biden administration.
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins recently described the programs as “nonessential”. But the move has left hundreds of school systems and food banks reeling. They already face rising food prices and are struggling to help community members with growing food insecurity.
The programs stimulated the purchase of locally grown fruits, vegetables, dairy, and meats — benefiting smaller farmers who received fair market pay for their products and organizations that granted funds to buy high-quality foods. Schools and pantries say they will now have to provide less or rely on cheaper, more processed foods.
North Carolina has participated in both programs since 2022. It’s one of 40 states impacted. Cuts are expected to be finalized in early May.
The cuts have left North Carolina farmers like Patrick Brown baffled. “I couldn’t believe the program was going to be killed,” the Henderson farmer said of Local Food for Schools. Brown said that ending the Local Food for Schools program would eliminate at least 50% of his revenue stream this year.
Food bank leaders are also concerned. “It’s going to take healthy food away from children and funds away from family farms,” said Amy Beros, CEO of the nonprofit Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina. Covering 34 counties, it’s one of seven North Carolina food banks that receive funding. Beros estimates the food bank’s portion would have been just over $2 million.
Schools are facing a similar challenge: While officials running breakfast and lunch programs would prefer to buy more local products, those are often expensive. With underfunding, high food costs, and labor struggles, school lunch programs are already stretched thin.
On top of the local foods program cuts, congressional Republicans are considering billions in potential cuts to free and reduced-price school meal programs — cuts the School Nutrition Association says could potentially affect millions of American students.
