USDA slashes over $1 bln in food aid, leaving schools and food banks struggling
USDA cuts $1 billion in food aid, leaving schools and food banks in crisis (Photo: Getty Images)
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has cut more than $1 billion in funding that helped schools and food banks buy fresh produce from local farms, sparking backlash from state officials and advocacy groups, The Guardian reports.
The cuts impacted two major programs: the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program, which provided $660 million to schools and childcare centers, and the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program, which supported food banks. While funds for existing agreements remain intact, new funding for 2025 has been completely canceled.
“These proposals would cause millions of children to lose access to free school meals at a time when working families are struggling with rising food costs,” said Shannon Gleave, president of the School Nutrition Association. She added that school meal programs, already short-staffed, will now face more bureaucratic hurdles and financial strain.
State officials were informed of the decision last Friday, just months after the USDA had promised $1.13 billion in support for these programs. The move aligns with Donald Trump’s broader push to cut federal spending, including tariffs and budget reductions that have forced food suppliers to lay off staff and scale back operations.
States push back against the cuts
Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey strongly criticized the decision, stating that her state alone is losing $12 million in essential food aid. She blamed Trump and his billionaire adviser Elon Musk, who has been advocating for aggressive budget cuts.
“Trump and Musk have declared that feeding children and supporting local farmers are no longer ‘priorities,’ and it’s just the latest terrible cut with real impact on families across Massachusetts,” Healey said in a statement. She also accused the administration of withholding funds in defiance of court orders.
The funding cuts come as Trump’s approval rating among Americans continues to decline, with growing dissatisfaction over economic policies that critics say disproportionately impact working families and vulnerable communities.
