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USDA Cuts $1 Billion in Food Assistance Programs for Schools and Food Banks

The Trump administration ends funding for initiatives supporting local food purchases, impacting schools, food banks, farmers, and families nationwide.

Seventh graders sit together in the cafeteria during their lunch break at a public school, Friday, February 10, 2023, in the Brooklyn borough of New York.
Volunteers assemble boxes of food for seniors ahead of the holidays at the Capital Area Food Bank in Washington, U.S., November 27, 2024. REUTERS/Nathan Howard/File Photo
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Overview

  • The USDA has eliminated the $660 million Local Food for Schools Program and the $420 million Local Food Purchase Assistance Program for 2025.
  • These cuts will affect over 40 states, limiting schools' and food banks' ability to purchase fresh, locally sourced food for students and underserved communities.
  • Food banks in Long Island, New York, estimate a 10% reduction in food purchases, potentially worsening food insecurity for over 221,000 residents.
  • School meal programs nationwide may rely more on processed foods due to reduced budgets, impacting students' access to nutritious meals.
  • Advocates warn the cuts will harm local farmers, increase food insecurity, and strain school districts already grappling with rising food and labor costs.