Nationwide funding cuts halt delivery of 300 trucks, affecting local food bank supplies

FRESNO, Calif (FOX26) — The Central California Food Bank says it is now waiting on 13 truckloads of food that were expected to be distributed to local food banks — a ripple effect from massive federal funding cuts to food assistance programs.

The disruption comes after the Trump administration pulled $1 billion in funding from the Commodity Credit Corporation, which oversees several national food assistance programs.

According to food bank officials, the cuts were made without warning or explanation.

Nationwide, roughly 300 fully loaded trucks are now on hold — unable to deliver food to communities in need. Locally, the Central California Food Bank says it is preparing for even more cuts at the state level.

“We see an increased need due to inflation,” said Kym Dildine, Chief Operating Officer of the Central California Food Bank. “The ever-rising costs of groceries, medical care, and utilities are really pushing a lot of families into our lines and needing more services.”

Dildine says one in four adults and one in three children in the Central Valley struggle with hunger.

The food bank currently serves about 300,000 people — a number that’s expected to rise in the coming months.

The food bank says the 13 delayed trucks alone represent about 500,000 pounds of food — valued at more than $800,000 — that was intended to feed local families from April through July.

“Central California Food Bank doesn’t have the ability to raise those funds or bridge that gap in this quick time period,” Dildine added.

The cuts stem from changes to the USDA’s Commodity Credit Corporation, which not only supports food distribution to struggling families but also provides an outlet for farmers to sell their produce to food banks.

“Food banks are really struggling right now to try to figure out what to do and how to keep serving the communities that rely on them,” said Becky Silva, a food security advocate.

Further complicating the issue, Silva says state funding to the California Food Assistance Program is expected to plummet from $60 million to just $8 million — a staggering 90% reduction.

Both Silva and Dildine warn that without immediate intervention, food banks will be forced to serve fewer families, distribute less food, and may even have to shut down distribution sites at schools and churches.

“Hunger really is a hidden epidemic here in Central California,” Dildine said. “And we can all do our part to ensure that our neighbors have the nutrition they need to thrive.”