Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

WASHINGTON, DC – As the Trump Administration confirms it is halting more than $1 billion in federal assistance that enables public schools and food banks to purchase nutritious produce and food from local farmers, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) says these cancellations will harm hungry students and low-income families, farmers and food producers, and local economies.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs on the chopping block include the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program and the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA). In a statement to The Hill, Trump’s USDA claimed that the essential programs that help provide nutritious food to hungry Americans “no longer effectuate the goals of the agency.”

This year, the programs were set to distribute $660 million for schools and child care facilities and $500 million for food banks to work with local farmers within a set geographic range to purchase local food from farmers, fishermen, and food producers. The successful programs have increased access to locally-grown, nutritious food in underserved communities and helped family farmers, fishermen, and local food producers significantly expand their markets.

Senator Reed joined with U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) and 30 other colleagues in urging USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins to reverse course on these cuts and provide additional information about implementation of the USDA programs set to be cancelled.

“At a time when food insecurity remains high, providing affordable, fresh food to food banks and families while supporting American farmers is critical. Notably, LFPA and LFS have benefitted producers and consumers by providing funding for purchases through all 50 states, four territories, and 84 tribal governments,” the Senators wrote. “Through LFPA and LFS, USDA has prioritized the procurement and distribution of healthy, nutritious, domestic food. It has also taken an important step towards igniting rural prosperity by expanding and strengthening markets among farmers and rural economies. As of December 2024, the programs had supported over 8,000 producers, providing increased marketing

opportunities.”

According to Farm Fresh Rhode Island, these cuts would cost Rhode Island approximately $3 million and negatively impact about 100 small businesses in the Ocean State.

Senator Reed noted that these drastic cuts come as Republican budget proposals threaten access to critical nutrition assistance programs and as the demand on local food banks across the nation continues to soar in Rhode Island and across the nation.

“Making it harder for schools and food banks to serve up fresh, nutritious, local foods to students and struggling families is a shameful way to scrounge up cash for President Trump’s billionaires-first tax giveaway.  We know that hungry students do not perform as well in the classroom as their peers who have access to regular, nutritious meals. These reckless cuts to essential USDA programs will have an outsized impact on low-income families and on the local farmers, fishermen, and food producers who have benefitted significantly from expanded local markets for their goods,” said Senator Reed.  “Time and time again, President Trump has insisted that his Administration’s devastating cuts will magically not impact vulnerable American families. By cutting these vital USDA programs, he is making his priorities crystal clear – billionaires come first and American families come last.”

During the COVID pandemic, Congress made $900 million available for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) food purchasing efforts through the LFPA.  These programs helped strengthen local and regional food systems, improved agricultural supply-chain resiliency, and supported underserved producers and communities.  Using LFPA funds, states set up approved programs to purchase food produced within the state or within 400 miles of the delivery destination, which was then distributed through food banks, pantries, and other food distribution centers where hungry families in need can receive food.

In Rhode Island, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM), working with nonprofits like Farm Fresh Rhode Island, was awarded a total of $1.78 million to purchase local foods for distribution within the state.  To date, DEM, Farm Fresh, and their partners, have purchased food from 95 local producers and distributed that nutritious, local food to over 65,000 Rhode Islanders.

Last year, Senator Reed introduced legislation that would codify LFPA into law, providing permanent funding to ensure the program continues. Reed’s EAT Local Foods Act gained the support of a wide range of farmers, food hubs, coalitions, and business networks across the nation in addition to several leading Rhode Island organizations, including: the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, Farm Fresh Rhode Island, the Commercial Fisheries Center of Rhode Island, the Rhode Island Food Policy Council, and Southside Community Land Trust.

In addition to Senators Reed and Schiff, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY); Ben Ray Luján (D-NM); Amy Klobuchar (D-MN); Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH); Tina Smith (D-MN); Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI); Ron Wyden (D-OR); Richard Blumenthal (D-CT); Martin Heinrich (D-NM); Chris Van Hollen (D-MD); Michael Bennet (D-CO); Elissa Slotkin (D-MI); Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY); Elizabeth Warren (D-MA); Jeff Merkley (D-OR); Raphael Warnock (D-GA); Tammy Baldwin (D-WI); Richard Durbin (D-IL); Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV); Patty Murray (D-WA); Angus King (I-ME); Bernie Sanders (I-VT); John Hickenlooper (D-CO); Gary Peters (D-MI); Jacky Rosen (D-NV); Peter Welch (D-VT); Alex Padilla (D-CA); Cory Booker (D-NJ); Ed Markey (D-MA); and Mazie Hirono (D-HI).

Full text of the letter follows:

March 14, 2025

Ms. Brooke Rollins

Secretary

U.S. Department of Agriculture

1400 Independence Ave SW

Washington, DC 20250

Dear Secretary Rollins:

We write to express serious concerns regarding the cancellation of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs supporting local and regional food purchases providing assistance to those in need. These successful programs, the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA) and the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program (LFS), allow states, territories, and Tribes to purchase local foods from nearby farmers and ranchers to be used for emergency food providers, schools, and child care centers.

At a time when food insecurity remains high, providing affordable, fresh food to food banks and families while supporting American farmers is critical. Notably, LFPA and LFS have benefitted producers and consumers by providing funding for purchases through all 50 states, four territories, and 84 tribal governments.

Through LFPA and LFS, USDA has prioritized the procurement and distribution of healthy, nutritious, domestic food. It has also taken an important step towards igniting rural prosperity by expanding and strengthening markets among farmers and rural economies. As of December 2024, the programs had supported over 8,000 producers, providing increased marketing

opportunities.

Most importantly, we ask that you reverse the cancellation of LFPA and LFS. We also ask that you provide a thorough and complete update on USDA’s implementation of LFPA and LFS,

including answers to the following questions:

1. What is the status of reimbursements for entities that have agreements with USDA through LFPA and LFS? What is the last date for which states, territories, and Tribes received reimbursements for food purchases under LFPA and LFS?
2. Has the Administration conducted any assessments of how these program cancellations will impact producers and recipient organizations (e.g., food banks, schools, child care centers)? If so, please provide a copy of any such assessments.

We have grave concerns that the cancellation of LFPA and LFS poses extreme harm to producers and communities in every state across the country. At a time of uncertainty in farm country, farmers need every opportunity to be able to expand market access for their products.

Please provide responses to the information requested in our questions no later than Friday, April 4. Thank you for your attention to this urgent and important matter.

Sincerely,