Central Ohio food pantries brace for impact of federal funding cuts

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Department of Government Efficiency continues to slash federal spending to reduce government waste. This week, the USDA announced that about $1 billion in federal funding would be canceled.

A USDA spokesperson said in an email to CBS MoneyWatch, “Unlike the Biden administration, which funneled billions in funds into short-term programs with no plan for longevity, USDA is prioritizing stable, proven solutions that deliver lasting impact.”

Mike Hochron with the Mid-Ohio Food Collective said enough is enough.

“There’s so many questions in play right now,” said Hochron. “We are in a time of really record need. We are seeing all these cuts and threats to our food stream.”

The USDA canceled $660 million in funding for the Local Food For Schools Program and $420 million for the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement, which helps food banks provide locally grown food to their communities. 

Ohio’s LFPA funds provided 4 million meals last year alone.

“This is a really difficult time because the math doesn’t add up,” said Hochran.

At the Gahanna food pantry GRIN, program director Beth Bentley said these cuts could drive more to their pantry with fewer shipments showing up.

“If Mid-Ohio were to completely stop providing or cut drastically, it would definitely affect us,” Bentley said.

The next big concern is summer break. No school means no food for some kids.

GRIN provided over 16,000 meals for students last summer and is predicting a 20% increase in need this year.

“We are seeing a lot more people coming in and staying longer,” said Bentley.

Food banks across the state will be losing $6.6 million in LFPA funds, with the Mid-Ohio Food Collective losing $3 million of those dollars.

“It’s going to put one more strain on an already pretty difficult situation,” Hochron added.

The funding is set to expire on June 30. 

This all comes as the Ohio General Assembly has plans to cut $7.5 million from the Ohio Food Program, which makes up about 20% of what food banks distribute statewide.