The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has eliminated two federal programmes that provided over $1 billion annually to support schools and food banks in purchasing food from local farms and ranches, according to a school nutrition group and a Politico report on Monday.
The School Nutrition Association, which represents cafeteria workers and directors nationwide, announced that the USDA has cut the $660 million Local Food for Schools programme for 2025.
Additionally, Politico, citing a USDA spokesperson, reported that the department has also ended the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Programme, which would have allocated about $500 million this year to aid food banks.
The USDA did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The decision is part of President Donald Trump’s broader push to reduce federal government spending significantly.
The cuts come amid Trump’s imposition of new tariffs on goods from Canada, Mexico, and China, fuelling trade tensions with key buyers of US agricultural products.
As the USDA freezes other grants and programmes, farmers and food organisations across the country are cutting staff and delaying investments, according to farmers and agricultural support groups.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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