USDA Ends Pandemic Food Programs, Hitting Charlotte Food Banks and Schools
Food aid cuts are coming as the USDA wraps up its pandemic-era programs in the next 60 days. The end affects the Local Food Purchase Cooperative Agreement Program, which sent $691 million to farms and food banks in 2021.
Charlotte’s Nourish Up is facing big cuts to its fresh produce buying power. The food bank, which helped feed 164,000 people last year, has seen its client numbers grow by 19% since 2023.
“We provide books. We provide transportation, why wouldn’t we provide meals across the state? That is what feeds the future of our nation.” Said Jenaffer Stevenson, President of the School Nutrition Association of South Carolina, to Spectrum Local News.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools put $500,000 into local food projects through the program. Even with the lost funding, officials hope to keep buying from local sources.
The program reached 40 states, giving out $660 million to link schools with nearby farms and food producers. Small farms did well with this support.
Most money went to help disadvantaged producers, building up local food networks. The program used Depression-era Commodity Credit Corporation money, which allowed the government to buy directly from farmers.
According to a USDA spokesperson, this shows a move from emergency help to long-term solutions for food security.
Schools across the country now need to find new money for fresh, local ingredients. This hit comes while cafeterias are already dealing with rising food prices.
Nourish Up may have to cut back on fresh food. They now mix shelf-stable foods with fresh produce through partnerships, including Second Harvest Food Bank.
Budget cuts by the Department of Government Efficiency led to these shutdowns. All program contracts finish in May 2025.
