The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has recently announced the cancellation of approximately $1 billion in funding for two key federal school nutrition programs, a move aligned with the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative aimed at reducing federal spending.
According to various reports, the elimination of the Local Food for Schools program will cut around $660 million, while the cancellation of the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement will reduce funding by about $420 million. These programs, funded by the USDA’s Commodity Credit Corporation, have been vital in enabling schools and food banks to purchase local food, thus supporting local farmers and improving nutrition for children.
A USDA spokesperson stated that this measure represents a return to long-term, fiscally responsible initiatives, criticizing the previous administration for its focus on short-term spending without sustainable plans. The spokesperson claimed that the Biden administration had funneled billions into unsustainable programs, despite its prior expansion of these initiatives by more than $1 billion.
The School Nutrition Association (SNA) has vocally opposed these cuts, expressing concerns that they would jeopardize critical nutrition services for students. Shannon Gleave, president of the SNA, stated that Congress should invest in underfunded school meal programs, emphasizing the link between nutrition and academic achievement. Recently, around 850 school nutrition leaders advocated against the cuts, appealing directly to Congress.
Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey criticized the decision, emphasizing the adverse effects it would have on her state’s child care programs and schools. ‘Feeding children and supporting local farmers are no longer priorities,’ she remarked, condemning the cuts as detrimental to families in Massachusetts.
The cuts have sparked significant concern within school districts nationwide. For instance, the director of nutrition services at the Scottsdale Unified School District in Arizona remarked that the funding helped keep meal prices low for students and enabled purchases of local produce. ‘It’s a pretty big hit, and that’s mostly fresh fruits and vegetables,’ she stated.
The impact of these cuts is expected to resonate across the nation, particularly as schools strive to provide fresh, local food options amidst rising costs and tight budgets. The road ahead for federal school nutrition programs remains uncertain as Congress considers additional cuts, raising alarms about the future of food access for millions of children.
