Senators Urge USDA to Reinstate Food Purchase Programs

By Blake Jackson

Senator Gillibrand and 31 other senators are urging the USDA to reinstate food purchase programs, citing potential harm to New York families and farmers.

The USDA has terminated funding for the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA) and the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program (LFS).

These programs enable governments to buy food from American farmers for distribution to food banks, schools, and childcare centers.

In New York, this cancellation jeopardizes over $63 million in food purchase funding for Fiscal Year 2025.

“I have grave concerns about the impact that this cancellation will have on New York’s farmers and the families that rely on food banks, school lunch programs, and child care centers for their daily meals,” said Senator Gillibrand.

“At a time of uncertainty in farm country, farmers need every opportunity to be able to expand market access for their products, and this move jeopardizes that access. Furthermore, this will decrease the availability of local foods for the programs that rely on them to feed New Yorkers in need. I am vehemently opposed to the USDA’s decision, and I will fight for its reversal.”

The senators, led by Adam Schiff, Ben Ray Luján, Amy Klobuchar, and Jeanne Shaheen, argue that the reported $1 billion funding cut exacerbates problems amid high food prices and agricultural market instability.

They emphasize the programs' vital role in supporting both farmers and vulnerable populations. The full letter to USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins is available online.

Photo Credit: usda