Snap violation attorney Columbus Ohio
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is discontinuing two federal programs that allocated approximately $1 billion to schools and food banks for purchasing food from local farms, ranchers, and producers. The agency cited a shift toward “long-term, fiscally responsible initiatives” as the reason for the decision.
This change eliminates about $660 million in funding for the Local Food for Schools program, which operates in 40 states, and approximately $420 million for the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement, which supports food banks and community organizations in distributing food.
In an email to CBS News, a USDA spokesperson confirmed that states, territories, and tribes have been notified that funding for the pandemic-era Local Food for Schools and Child Care Cooperative Agreement, as well as the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement, will no longer be available. The agreements will be terminated following a 60-day notice period.
In recent days, schools were informed that they would lose $660 million in federal funding for the current year, according to Diane Pratt-Heavner, director of media relations for the School Nutrition Association, which represents thousands of school meal staff. She noted that the funding cut comes at a time when schools nationwide are already facing high food costs.
“It’s a significant loss”
One school district reported that the USDA’s decision would eliminate $100,000 in funding it had planned to use for purchasing local beef and produce for student meals.
It’s a significant loss, particularly for fresh fruits and vegetables, for the kids all over Ohio. This wasn’t just about keeping food costs down—it was also about supporting our community and local farmers.
Although the $100,000 accounts for only about 2% of the district’s $6 million annual food budget, Bilbrey emphasized that the funding allowed them to source from small farmers and introduce students to produce like microgreens. She added that the loss of funding comes at a difficult time, as many school districts are already struggling to keep meals affordable due to rising food and labor costs.
Snap violation attorney Columbus Ohio
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