How USDA Funding Cuts Will Affect Long Island Food Banks: What You Need to Know

President Donald Trump’s administration has decided not to continue a program that significantly supported food banks on Long Island. This program helped local food banks buy around 2.4 million pounds of fresh produce, meat, and dairy for people in need, totaling $2.6 million in funding.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced it is shutting down the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement, which provided $420 million to food banks nationwide. Additionally, funding for the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program, worth $660 million, has been canceled. This latter program helped schools buy fresh, local food for students as part of their meal programs.

These cuts come as the White House, under advisor Elon Musk, strives to reduce federal spending. A USDA spokesperson stated that these changes are part of a broader strategy to focus on "stable, proven solutions that deliver lasting impact" as the nation moves past the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under the Biden administration, the USDA launched the Local Food Purchase Assistance program in 2021 to assist food banks and local farmers during the pandemic’s challenges. In 2022 and 2023, New York’s Department of Agriculture received nearly $50 million to distribute among 114 food service organizations. However, that additional funding for continued support was recently canceled.

Gregory May, from Island Harvest, expressed concern over the loss of this funding. He mentioned that Island Harvest had already spent around $735,000 of its $2 million allocation, buying almost 882,000 pounds of food to help families in need. Without the funding, they risk losing about 10% of the 20 million pounds of food they usually purchase each year.

Food insecurity remains a pressing issue in Long Island, with over 221,000 people lacking consistent access to nutritious food. As the economy faces potential downturns, these challenges may worsen. Paule Pachter, the CEO of Long Island Cares, noted that while they have recently secured $650,000 in USDA funding, the cessation of this support is a significant concern for future operations.

Additionally, the now-canceled Local Food for Schools program was set to deliver nearly $12 million to New York schools. Four school districts on Long Island received a total of about $105,000 to enhance meal programs with local foods. Experts from the School Nutrition Association have highlighted that these funding cuts will restrict students’ access to healthy meals and heavily impact local farmers and food producers.

Overall, the elimination of these programs could have lasting repercussions on food security and access to nutrition for vulnerable communities across Long Island and beyond. For more insights on food security and nutrition programs, you can check the USDA’s official resources here.

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