The Trump administration announced it will cut $1 billion in federal programs that allowed schools and food banks to buy fresh food from local farmers and ranchers — as part of his ongoing effort to reduce government spending.
The Department of Agriculture said the March 10 decision was to “return to long-term, fiscally responsible initiatives.”
But Treasure Coast schools and food banks worried cuts to the two programs would leave students, seniors and low-income families with less nutritious options amid rising costs of living.
Roughly $660 million was axed from the Local Food for Schools program, which helped schools buy healthier food for school lunches. Another $420 million was slashed for the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement, which allowed food banks to buy locally sourced produce and dairy products.
More than 40 states participated in these programs — including Florida, which received $46 million for the food bank program last year, according to the state budget.
“Statewide, this will affect a million children,” said Judith Cruz, CEO of the Treasure Coast Food Bank.
The Treasure Coast Food Bank used to receive $3.5 million that helped feed 250,000 people each week. Now, the food bank will have to rely on more processed foods to meet the community’s needs, Cruz said. Read More at TCPalm.com
This comes as the Trump administration, under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., wants to reduce the amount of “ultra-processed” foods in the American diet.
“We’ve worked so hard to educate people on the impacts of poor diet on chronic illness,” Cruz said. “Now I don’t know how we’re going to make that up.”
The Indian River County School District also said it will do everything it can to keep providing students with fresh food despite the funding cuts.
“At this point, it is not possible to completely understand the potential impact the cancellation of this program will have,” said spokesperson Cristen Maddux.
Emergency nutritional services grow in need as costs rise
The rising cost of living has left many Florida families food insecure, meaning they don’t have enough to eat and don’t know where their next meal will come from.
On the Treasure Coast, one in five children under 18 don’t have enough to eat, according to state health data.
That number has been on a steady climb since the coronavirus pandemic that started in March 2020.
Other factors have increased the area’s reliance on food banks, such as the back-to-back hurricanes in October and the recent layoffs by the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, Cruz said.
“We’ve seen an increase in people who are new to seeking assistance,” Cruz said. “These are people who have never been on unemployment, who have worked all their lives.”
Cruz hopes the need for these programs will become more pronounced now that they’re gone and the Trump administration will reinstate them.
“It’s not like eliminating a handful of streaming services you don’t watch,” Cruz said. “These are essential services.”
TCPalm business reporter Jack Randall contributed to this report.
Jack Lemnus is a TCPalm enterprise reporter. Contact him at jack.lemnus@tcpalm.com, 772-409-1345, or follow him on X @JackLemnus.
