March 12, 2025, 02:26 AM PDT – The USDA has pulled the plug on over $1 billion in funding, effectively ending two programs that connected local farmers with schools and USDA food banks. The USDA cancels local food purchasing decision terminates the Local Food for Schools (LFS) program—worth $660 million—and the Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) program, impacting food banks with a $500 million cut, as confirmed by CNBC.
Notified last Friday, states learned that 2025 funding for the USDA cancels local food for schools initiative is scrapped, leaving school districts like Arizona’s Scottsdale Unified reeling. “It’s a $100,000 hit—mostly fresh fruits and veggies,” said nutrition director Patti Bilbrey, per USA Today. Food banks, too, face a void, with LFPA’s end threatening supplies amid surging demand, per The Independent. The USDA cites a pivot to “long-term, fiscally responsible” priorities, ending what it calls temporary Biden-era efforts funded via the Commodity Credit Corporation, per Politico.
Introduced to strengthen local food chains after pandemic disruptions, the programs supported over 40 states, with Minnesota losing $18 million for schools and food banks, per the Minnesota Reformer. Sen. Heather Gustafson called it “catastrophic” for students and farmers. Critics argue the timing couldn’t be worse—school meal budgets are squeezed, and food bank visits spiked 30% last year, per Feeding America data. The Trump administration’s broader cuts, backed by Elon Musk’s DOGE, frame this as waste reduction, but SNA’s Shannon Gleave warns millions of kids could lose free meals, per The Guardian.
Farmers face collateral damage, losing stable markets as schools and food banks pivot—potentially to pricier, distant suppliers. Is this a short-sighted cut masked as efficiency, or a necessary reset? The USDA’s move leaves that question hanging as communities brace for impact.
