In March, the USDA cut two federal programs that gave grants for providing food to schools and low-income communities.

Jamestown

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has ended two federal grant programs that supplied food to schools and low-income communities, affecting both food aid organizations and small farmers. These programs, introduced during the pandemic and totaling $1 billion, were designed to address food insecurity and support local agriculture.

The USDA stated that the decision was made to return to long-term, fiscally responsible initiatives, as the programs were intended as temporary pandemic relief. However, advocates and participants argue that the effects of the pandemic persist, and the loss of funding could worsen food insecurity, especially in rural and underserved areas. The cuts have also impacted small farmers who relied on the programs for a significant portion of their sales.

USDA cuts leave food aid groups and farmers struggling

Four days a week, Miley Otterson and an employee drive hundreds of miles across Kansas, Missouri and Arkansas, delivering fresh produce to food deserts. Her non-profit helps underserved schools, food pantries and senior centers such as this one in Ava, Missouri, where for many it's the only place to get a hot meal. We're trying the best we can without the funding. Otterson's non-profit relies on USDA grants to distribute produce to schools and low-income communities. But in March, the USDA abruptly canceled those two national food programs implemented by the Biden administration in response to the pandemic and totaling $1 billion. The agency says it's a decision to return to long-term, fiscally responsible initiatives. Who are you leaving out there without food? Some of the most food insecure people, some of the most vulnerable people, children, the elderly. The USDA has said these were pandemic relief programs and that's over. So it's time to move on. Yeah, we are not past the effects of the pandemic. The USDA grants helped Otterson buy food from small farms such as Liz Graznick's. It was devastating. I don't know those families, but I know those families are desperate for the food that they were getting. The subsidies implemented in 2022 were set to be extended for another three years. When they introduced these programs, how did it impact your farm? It was huge. I knew I could produce this and that they would be able and interested in buying it. She rented an extra 16 acres to harvest more onions, garlic, and peppers to keep up with demand. A quarter of my annual sales were going to those programs. And when they said that that money is gone, I thought, oh my God, well, now what do I do? Nationwide, more than 8,000 small farmers were supported by the programs. Advocates warn the cuts could ripple through food deserts, rural communities, and urban areas where access to healthy food is miles away. With food insecurity in Missouri above the national average at 15%, local farmers here help bridge the gap. Will you be able to still feed people this year? We are going to, but not nearly as many. Head them up, move them out. Leaving farmers and frontline workers to pick up the pieces while people go hungry. For Eye on America, I'm Meg Oliver in Jamestown, Missouri.

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