The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has abruptly halted millions of dollars worth of deliveries to food banks, POLITICO first reported.
Per the outlet, the executive department previously set aside $500 million in deliveries to food banks through the Emergency Food Assistance Program for fiscal year 2025. At this time, it’s unclear how much of that $500 million has been nixed.
The recent — and surprising — move comes just days after the USDA terminated two food aid programs, cutting more than $1 billion in funding for local food banks and schools. The Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program and the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program were given the boot because they reportedly “no longer effectuate the goals of the agency,” the USDA said in a statement to The Hill.
“As a pandemic-era program, LFPA will now be sunsetted at the end of the performance period, marking a return to long-term, fiscally responsible initiatives. This isn’t an abrupt shift — just last week, USDA released over half a billion in previously obligated funds for LFPA and LFS to fulfill existing commitments and support ongoing local food purchases,” the statement continued.
“With 16 robust nutrition programs in place, USDA remains focused on its core mission: strengthening food security, supporting agricultural markets, and ensuring access to nutritious food.”
The recent cuts are the Trump administration’s attempts to “claw back CCC money the Biden administration previously allocated in order to devote funds to other priorities,” POLITICO reported. The USDA was supposed to spend $148 million of the $500 million early this year to buy dairy products, eggs, blueberries and more, but canceled those food orders last month.
“USDA has not yet announced plans to move forward with the canceled food orders,” according to an email that Feeding America sent to its network of food banks on Feb. 20. The letter was obtained by POLITICO.
“We believe the best approach is for network members to work through state agencies to obtain clarification from USDA.”
