A Trump administration decision to cut two pandemic-era programs that provided over $1 billion to buy food has school districts, farmers, and nonprofit leaders reeling across the country.
“If the idea of cutting these programs is trimming the fat, it’s the wrong fat to be trimming. There’s not much fat there, it’s a lot of lean.” — Bryce Loewen, fourth-generation farmer, Blossom Bluff Orchards
Here in the San Joaquin Valley, where agriculture is a key cog in the economy, the axing of those programs has leaders worried about the devastating impacts.
“It ignores the realities of families who depend upon school meals and food banks. … children who are food insecure,” said Rep. Jim Costa (D-Fresno), who recently hosted a virtual news conference with leaders from affected organizations.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture created the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement and also the Local Food for School Cooperative Agreement during the COVID-19 pandemic to aid schools, food banks, and local farmers.
Now, the USDA says those programs are no longer necessary.
“The COVID era is over — USDA’s approach to nutrition programs will reflect that reality moving forward,” the USDA said in a statement.
30% of Fresno County Students Below the Poverty Line
In Fresno County, 1 in 4 people experience food insecurity and 30% of students live below the poverty line.
“The meals they receive at school aren’t just a part of their day, they are a lifeline. They fuel learning, engagement, and growth,” said Nikki Henry, chief communications officer for Fresno Unified School District.
For the district, LFS was a game changer, providing nearly $500,000 during the 2022-23 school year.
Losing that funding will force Fresno Unified to reassess how to continue their programs, Henry said.
“Make no mistake, when funding is cut, choices become harder.”
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Rural Districts Face Increased Difficulties
The program cut will hit rural school districts particularly hard because they have a limited food supply chain and rely heavily on federal support.
“The reduction of access to fresh, healthy food is a tremendous threat to our ability to educate our child. Good health and access to healthy food is a prerequisite to doing well in school,” said Fresno County Schools Superintendent Dr. Michele Cantwell-Copher.
Schools now face a shift to cheaper, highly processed, shelf-stable food that will reduce the nutritional value of meals. This will affect student focus, health, and energy, leading to poor student achievement, education leaders say.
Food Banks and Farmers Depend on Cut Programs
Local farmers and food banks also depended on these funds. They worry that losing this federal funding will threaten their partnerships.
The two programs distributed funds to over 7,900 food banks and pantries throughout the country, 55 here in the Valley.
The Central California Food Bank received over $9 million, according to food bank co-CEO Natalie Caples.
Meanwhile, food banks are left to ponder a future that might not include SNAP, which provides nine meals for every one meal provided by a food bank. SNAP funding would be severely reduced under the budget plan that the Republican-controlled House passed.
This means there will be fewer meals for those experiencing food insecurity.
“It isn’t just about hunger relief,” Caples said, “It’s about keeping American farms strong and independent. And it’s about making sure our communities have the resources they need to thrive.”
Over 500 small farmers in California, including 100 in the Valley, benefited from the programs.
The cuts threaten the future and livelihood of farmers and farming in California, said Paul Towers. He is the executive director of Community Alliance with Family Farmers. Tower’s group worked with the Central California Food Bank to create relationships between farmers and food banks using LFPA funding.
The programs allowed farmers to expand operations, buy new equipment, and focus more on day-to-day operations, he said.
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Local Farmer Shares Concerns
The funding halt has created widespread uncertainty among farmers, who must figure out new markets to fill income gaps. Right now, they are facing net losses, unsure about what to do with seeds and tools already purchased.
Bryce Loewen, a fourth-generation farmer co-operating Blossom Bluff Orchards in Parlier, depended on these programs, which brought in “somewhere in the neighborhood of $30,000.”
Farms work on a narrow margin and are “not getting rich,” Loewen said, making these programs vital to their survival.
Related Story: Farmers Caught in Limbo as Trump’s USDA Suspends Program Funding
“If the idea of cutting these programs is trimming the fat, it’s the wrong fat to be trimming. There’s not much fat there, it’s a lot of lean,” Loewen said.
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