About 31,000 East Tennesseans a month could receive less food after USDA funding cut

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• Folks experiencing food insecurity across the region will have less food available due to USDA funding cuts.
• The immediate impact was the cancellation of 21 tractor-trailer loads of scheduled food to Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee.

Deliveries of government-supplied protein, dairy and vegetables needed in food-insecure East Tennessee households have been delayed, and some might never reach Knoxville at all.

Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee was told 21 scheduled tractor-trailer loads of food from the U.S. Department of Agriculture weren’t going to be delivered while a funding source is under review amid drastic cost-cutting by the Trump administration. A USDA spokesperson said in an email to Knox News those funds have been terminated.

Right now, Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee is focused on the short-term effects of having less food available. The nonprofit remains hopeful Commodity Credit Corporation funding might become available again, said Jon Rice, engagement and communications manager at Second Harvest.

The missing deliveries of $722,000 worth of food scheduled to arrive over the next three months means 31,000 East Tennesseans a month could see lighter bags and boxes of food, Rice said.

Because USDA food comes at no cost to the food bank, Second Harvest will need to raise $722,000 in order to replace it.

Food banks could receive USDA food in the future. The Emergency Food Assistance Program will continue to provide goods from U.S. farmers to the food bank, but less will be available to Second Harvest. The nonprofit serves those in need of help across 18 East Tennessee counties.

In fall 2022, under the Biden administration, the USDA announced $1.5 billion from the Commodity Credit Corporation would be used to purchase additional food from farmers for distribution through the Emergency Food Assistance Program, according to Feeding America, the food bank network that includes Second Harvest.

Now under the Trump administration, the Commodity Credit Corporation funds that in recent years bolstered the Emergency Food Assistance Program have been cut as of April 2, according to the USDA email, meaning less food for people across the U.S. who are facing food insecurity. The Washington Post reported in late March a total of $500 million in food deliveries have been halted nationwide.

“The Biden Administration inflated statutory programs with Commodity Credit Corporation dollars without any plans for long-term solutions, and even in 2024, used the pandemic as a reason to make funding announcements,” the USDA statement said.

The USDA food that Second Harvest had expected to arrive included proteins, dairy and eggs, along with dried fruits and vegetables that typically would be distributed to 90 food pantries in the region and at Second Harvest’s mobile pantries and Harvest to Home program, which provides food boxes to folks receiving medical treatment.

The Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee’s Commodities Program, another food assistance program, had not been affected by federal cuts as of April 4.

Adam Caraco, CAC’s assistant director of nutrition services, said it’s to be determined whether the food it receives through the Emergency Food Assistance Program might be delayed or canceled, but the organization is hopeful operations will continue. The Commodities Program provides shelf-stable food to about 600 households a month that are experiencing food insecurity.

The USDA spokesperson emphasized in the statement the department will ensure Americans have access to food through its other avenues.

“The department will continue to use its procurement authority to support producers and consumers where appropriate, and with 16 nutrition programs under its purview, ensure families continue to have access to affordable and abundant food.”

Second Harvest is asking for the community’s help in raising that money through monetary donations or by virtual or in-person food drives, both of which can be coordinated on secondharvestetn.org.

Hayden Dunbar is the storyteller reporter. Email [email protected].

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