Media Coverage

Stark and Summit County nonprofits that help people facing food insecurity and hunger fear cuts in federal funding could leave their programs starved for resources.

"We are preparing ourselves," Stark County Hunger Task Force Executive Director Stephanie Sweany said. "It's hard to navigate and know what is coming around the corner. We are trying to stay on top of it."

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced over $1 billion in budget cuts to food banks and schools nationwide, inhibiting their ability to purchase fresh food directly from local farms and food producers. The cuts are part of the Trump administration's aim to reduce federal spending and government waste.

USDA: The USDA this month notified states that it did not plan to carry out a second round of funding for the Local Food Purchase Assistance program, but funds for existing contracts nationwide aren’t frozen. The Ohio Association of Foodbanks said it worked with roughly 170 food aggregators during the program’s three-year span. This produced 4.6 million pounds of food statewide, and food bank network leaders aren’t sure if they can replace that.

Cuts at the USDA are impacting local farmers and food pantries across the Miami Valley.

As previously reported by News Center 7 at 6 p.m., a farmer in New Lebanon says the cuts to the Local Food Purchase Assistance program will impact their business and low income families.

The USDA announced the “[Local Food Purchase Assistance] will now be sunsetted at the end of the performance period, making a return to long-term, fiscally responsible initiatives.”

The Ohio Association of Foodbanks says local producers, like Guided by Mushrooms, will feel the brunt of these cuts.

“We don’t want to, obviously, fire anybody. So, we’re already looking at new markets. I feel confident that we will be able to recover, it’ll just take us a little bit,” Cox said.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture suspended a program that partners local food banks with local farmers used by farmers and food banks across southwest Ohio.

The USDA this month notified states that it did not plan to carry out a second round of funding for the Local Food Purchase Assistance program for fiscal year 2025, but funds for existing contracts nationwide aren’t frozen. This move followed the Trump administration approving steep budget cuts at the USDA.

Michael Goldstick, of Guided By Mushrooms in New Lebanon, said local farmers have a little bit of time to plan around this change, as existing contracts will be funded through June.

“We invested, planned and grew for this program,” he said. “We appreciate the runway to work toward alternatives, a Plan B, but we’re disappointed that small farmers, hungry families and food banks will be impacted by this. And this is nationwide.”

Local food banks are feeling the pinch — and may be forced to offer less fresh produce — amid funding cuts to a federal program connecting them and some school districts with local farmers and challenges with rising food costs.

The concern is the latest round of struggles for food banks in Ohio amid policy changes, rising food costs and a proposed state budget that would cut funding for food banks to purchase food — all while Ohio food banks experience record levels of need.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently canceled money for the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA), which supplies assistance to local food banks, schools and organizations in underserved communities. According to USA Today, LFPA agreements would continue, but there would not be another round of funding this year.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Department of Government Efficiency continues to slash federal spending to reduce government waste. This week, the USDA announced that about $1 billion in federal funding would be canceled.

A USDA spokesperson said in an email to CBS MoneyWatch, "Unlike the Biden administration, which funneled billions in funds into short-term programs with no plan for longevity, USDA is prioritizing stable, proven solutions that deliver lasting impact.”