Trump Administration Cuts $1B in School Food Purchases

Children across the United States could soon be facing food insecurities during school hours after more than 1 billion dollars have been cut from programs that provide free, local, healthy meals during school.

The Donald Trump administration is currently annihilating various federal programs and funding. The latest federal spending cuts victim comes at a potentially devastating cost, involving some of the most defenseless individuals: children.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, USDA, has eliminated over $1 billion in funding for programs supporting local food to schools and food banks.

Programs That Are Getting Budget Cuts:

• Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program
  • $660 million was allocated to schools and childcare centers for food purchases from local farms.
• Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program
  • $500 million was provided to food banks.

Reasoning Behind the Cut and Criticism It Faces

A USDA spokesperson explained that the executive orders issued during Joe Biden’s presidency were “no longer effectuate the goals of the agency”.

The decision to move forward with this hasn't come without criticism. Officials from both sides of politics have voiced growing concerns about the effect it will have on schools and the children they are responsible for.

“Donald Trump and Elon Musk have declared that feeding children and supporting local farmers are no longer ‘priorities," Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey said in a press release, highly criticizing the move.

Pulling funding for school meals is particularly uneasy after a startling study revealed that school meals are some of the healthiest meals Americans eat.

States affected by the cut were recently given a 60-day notification that their funding agreements will be cut.

States that utilize the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program:

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New York
• North Carolina
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Vermont
• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming