The food was funded by the Commodities Credit Corporation, which is currently paused due to a federal review, Second Harvest said.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has canceled 21 tractor-trailer loads of expected food, valued at $722,200.
“For Tennessee, the impact is immediate,” the food bank said.
The food was funded by the Commodities Credit Corporation, which is currently paused due to a federal review, according to Second Harvest.
The food bank said East Tennessee families relying on food assistance may soon face shortages as funding cuts to the USDA continue to disrupt food bank shipments nationwide.
The cancellations, which accounted for more than 377,000 lbs of food, were set to arrive between April and July. It was slated to be distributed through other parent agencies in Second Harvest’s service area and in programs like Mobile Pantry and Harvest to Home.
“While we’re concerned by the diminished capacity to serve our neighbors, we remain committed to strengthening food access for East Tennesseans and provide adequate nutrition for a healthy life,” Second Harvest Executive Director Elaine Streno said. “This is a crucial time for our community to step up. We ask the public to continue supporting our hunger-relief efforts by hosting food drives and providing financial support. Together, we will provide adequate nutrition for more than 200,000 individuals who experience food insecurity.”
Streno said earlier this month that federal cuts would impact the food bank.
Tennessee was expecting to get around $12.6 million from the federal Local Food for Schools Program and another $7.6 million through the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement before the Trump administration announced federal funding cuts impacting communities nationally.
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