"That Guy" Cutting Funds for School Lunches and Food Banks Impacts Local Farmers
"That Guy" Cutting Funds for School Lunches and Food Banks
3.28.25 School Lunches and Food Bank Funding
It was recently reported that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is cutting two federal programs that provided about $1 billion in funding to schools and food banks. This money was used to buy food directly from local farms, ranchers, and producers. The agency stated that this decision was made to “return to long-term, fiscally responsible initiatives.”
The federal government started providing support for school lunch programs as early as 1932. During the Great Depression, the government began monitoring supplies from commercial farmers and purchasing surplus commodities, which were then distributed to schools. This support expanded through New Deal agencies in the 1930s and continued during World War II.
In 1946, the National School Lunch Program was officially established, creating a permanent link between children’s nutrition and agricultural interests. The program provided an outlet for surplus commodities and welfare to commercial farmers.
The concept of utilizing surplus agricultural products to support hunger relief can be traced back to 1933, when the Agricultural Adjustment Act, part of the New Deal, included provisions for purchasing discounted surplus products for distribution among hunger relief organizations.
The Tax Reform Act of 1976 allowed companies to make charitable contributions in exchange for tax deductions, which indirectly supported food banks. In 1983, the Emergency Food Assistance Program was established, directing the USDA to purchase commodities such as fruits, vegetables, dairy products, meat, and grains for distribution to food-insecure communities through food banks.
Now, it appears that these two primary programs aimed at addressing food insecurity have been discontinued due to concerns about “fiscal responsibility.” Last year, when I researched the national debt, I gained a deeper understanding of the importance of a balanced budget. That means, bottom line, make more money and/or spend less. This administration is focusing on the spending part. I have heard this president say that he intends to cut taxes again, and that includes cutting taxes for the wealthy. As we go forward, we want to see if he makes great strides in balancing the budget or not.
For nearly 100 years, we have seized the opportunity to support farmers and address food insecurity through programs that deliver results. If these programs are essential to us, are we willing to collaborate with others to find ways to fill the gap? That might involve different people handling the government's finances. This also involves creating and supporting existing nonprofit and for-profit organizations.
What do you think?
Finally, I invite you to read this Reuters article, which examines the initial impact of this financial decision.