By Blake Jackson
U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin and her colleagues are urging the USDA to reinstate local food purchase programs that benefit farmers and communities in Wisconsin and across the nation.
These programs, the Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) and Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program (LFS), enable states, territories, and Tribes to buy food from local farmers for distribution to emergency food providers, schools, and childcare centers.
The cancellation of these programs, particularly the LFPA, has drawn strong criticism. Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers recently revealed that the Trump Administration had withdrawn from contracts with the state, impacting both farmers and food banks.
“We ask that you reverse the cancellation,” wrote Baldwin and the lawmakers in a letter to USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins. “We have grave concerns that the cancellation…poses extreme harm to producers and communities in every state across the country. At a time of uncertainty in farm country, farmers need every opportunity to be able to expand market access for their products.”
The senators warned of the detrimental effects this decision would have on American farmers and families. In Wisconsin, the LFPA program had engaged nearly 300 farmers, distributing over $4 million in food across all 72 counties.
Notably, 55 percent of these farmers were new or beginning farmers. The program was set to enter its third year, based on existing contracts.
Additionally, the USDA announced the termination of the LFS program, which connects farmers with local schools. Nationally, the loss of these programs would cut off farmers from over $1 billion in support, with Wisconsin alone losing nearly $6 million in promised funding.
The letter, spearheaded by Senators Ben Ray Luján and Adam Schiff, was co-signed by 29 other senators, highlighting the widespread concern over the USDA’s decision.
Photo Credit: usda
Categories: Wisconsin, Government & Policy