News Summary
Louisiana lawmakers are calling on Congress to reinstate a $1 billion federal program essential for schools and food banks to purchase local produce. The cuts, part of federal budget reductions, have severely impacted food security in Louisiana, risking $18 million in losses over the next three years. State Senator Patrick McMath has introduced a resolution advocating for the restoration of these funds, highlighting the importance of local agricultural support amid rising food insecurity concerns.
New Orleans, Louisiana — Louisiana lawmakers are urgently calling on Congress to restore a $1 billion federal program that has been vital in enabling schools, child care programs, and food banks to purchase locally grown produce and protein. This funding, which previously supported local agriculture, was eliminated in March as part of federal budget cuts by the Trump administration, impacting various food assistance programs critical to the state’s food security.
The affected programs include the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program and the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program, both of which are no longer operational due to these budget reductions. The anticipated loss of federal funds is projected to cost Louisiana more than $18 million over the next three years, thereby severely affecting local farmers and school nutrition.
In an effort to combat these cuts, State Senator Patrick McMath, R-Covington, has introduced Senate Concurrent Resolution 20, which advocates for Congress to reinstate funding specifically for schools. McMath’s initiative is aligned with broader legislative goals aimed at promoting healthy food options in educational institutions, mirroring efforts associated with the “Make America Healthy Again” campaign that seeks to eliminate ultra-processed foods from school lunches.
The local agricultural community has already experienced repercussions from the funding loss, as small and mid-sized farms are reporting the impact of reduced procurement capabilities. For instance, Harris Cattle Co., which sells $380,000 worth of meat to nine school districts, and a local farm that has generated $7,000 from okra sales, will suffer from this uncertainty.
The Louisiana Agriculture Commissioner has communicated with the state’s congressional delegation regarding the far-reaching consequences of the USDA funding cuts on local food systems and the agricultural economy. U.S. Representative Julie Letlow, R-Louisiana, is actively addressing the issue in a House Appropriations subcommittee focusing on agriculture, emphasizing the urgency of reinstating these crucial funds.
Insights regarding potential changes to the USDA’s budget are expected to emerge in the forthcoming weeks, providing hope for a restoration of funding. The Local Food for Schools Program was initially launched in 2022 as part of the Inflation Reduction Act, signed by the Biden administration, illustrating the program’s recent establishment in response to food security concerns heightened during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A USDA spokesperson indicated that the eliminated programs were deemed no longer aligned with the agency’s goals. However, agreements under the Local Food Purchase Assistance program that were enacted before 2025 will still maintain their terms. It should be noted that while McMath’s resolution primarily targets funding for schools, the executive director of Feeding Louisiana aims to push for subsequent requests to restore food bank funding next week.
The timing of these USDA cuts is particularly crucial, as the agency is concurrently reducing resources for the Emergency Food Assistance Program, further straining the food support systems available to low-income families and children. Feeding Louisiana, which represents the state’s five regional food banks, is mobilizing efforts to gather public support for restoring this funding through a petition that aims to secure 500 signatures for Governor Jeff Landry by next week.
The elimination of these vital programs is expected to disproportionately affect small, underserved minority farmers in rural communities, who rely heavily on these funding sources to sustain their livelihoods. Approximately $660 million that was previously appropriated for schools to purchase local food has now been canceled due to these recent cuts.
Before the cancellation, over 40 states participated in the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program. State officials were officially notified about the funding cuts on March 7. The removal of these programs exacerbates the challenges already present in efforts toward food security in Louisiana, especially for those who are most reliant on such programs for sustenance.
The USDA had previously announced plans to cut additional funding cycles for the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program between now and 2025. The implications of these funding reductions resonate across the agricultural sector and underscore the necessity of urgent action to address food insecurity in the state.
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
- Shreveport Times
- Wikipedia: Food Security
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- Google Search: Louisiana food assistance programs
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- Google Scholar: USDA food programs
- The Advocate
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Food Bank
- New Orleans City Business
- Google News: food programs Louisiana
