As Trump Admin. cancels deliveries to food banks, U.S. Senators press for answers and more resources to prevent Americans from going hungry
WASHINGTON, DC — As grocery prices rise and more families struggle to afford basic staples, the Trump Administration is dramatically reducing aid for local food banks across the country that are already strained by rising demand.
Through cuts, contract cancellations, and funding freezes, the Trump Administration is providing up to $1.5 billion less for hunger relief and nutrition assistance through programs like the Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) program and the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). This will result in less produce, meat, dairy, and other staples in the coming weeks and months for food banks nationwide to distribute to Americans in need.
TEFAP is a core USDA nutrition program that buys food from American farmers to provide food assistance to those in need. In Rhode Island, TEFAP is administered by the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, in partnership with the Rhode Island Department of Human Services. The Rhode Island Community Food Bank orders food from USDA and distributes it out to its 143 member agencies across the state. This network of food pantries, soup kitchens, and other organizations plays a key role in connecting the food provided by the USDA directly to Rhode Islanders facing food insecurity. TEFAP helps Rhode Islanders access balanced and nutritious meals, supporting their well-being and helping to build stronger, healthier communities across the state.
Because of Trump’s reduction in federal food assistance, the Rhode Island Community Food Bank is looking to replace about 500,000 pounds of food worth $1.74 million in TEFAP food deliveries set for the rest of the year that have reportedly been canceled.
Earlier this week, U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) joined with 24 Senate colleagues in pressing the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to reinstate these shipments of food to Rhode Island food banks.
“A cancellation of these funds could result in $500 million in lost food provisions to feed millions of Americans at a time when the need for food shelves is extremely high due to costly groceries and an uncertain economy,” the 26 U.S. Senators wrote in a letter to USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins.
“If true, this major shift in a program utilized by emergency food providers in every state in the nation will have a significant and damaging impact upon millions of people who depend upon this program for critical food assistance,” the Senators continued. “In addition, this program consists of purchases of U.S. commodities at a time when America’s growers and producers are struggling due to tariffs, proposed tariffs, animal disease and many other challenges.”
The Senators asked Secretary Rollins for answers to a half-dozen key questions on topics ranging from the reasoning behind the reported cancellation, to plans for food purchases, and the impact the changes will have on dairy farmers and poultry producers.
In addition to Reed and Whitehouse, the letter was signed by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Mark Warner (D-VA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Chris Coons (D-DE), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Angus King (I-ME), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tina Smith (D-MN), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI).
Reed and Whitehouse also noted that in Rhode Island, the cancellation of food assistance not only takes food away from hungry people, but it also hurts local farmers who are being squeezed by Trump’s tariffs and deep cuts to domestic markets. Further, they contend that USDA’s lack of clear communication has made it harder for food banks to plan, budget, and feed the growing numbers of people who are turning to them as unemployment and inflation rises.
Full text of the letter follows:
Dear Secretary Rollins:
We write regarding the reported cancellation of hundreds of millions of dollars in previously approved funding for food banks and other emergency food providers through The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). A cancellation of these funds could result in $500 million in lost food provisions to feed millions of Americans at a time when the need for food shelves is extremely high due to costly groceries and an uncertain economy. If true, this major shift in a program utilized by emergency food providers in every state in the nation will have a significant and damaging impact upon millions of people who depend upon this program for critical food assistance.
In addition, this program consists of purchases of U.S. commodities at a time when America’s growers and producers are struggling due to tariffs, proposed tariffs, animal disease and many other challenges.
According to recent statistics, nearly one in every seven Americans have faced food insecurity. Many of these households turn to community and emergency relief organizations such as food banks and food pantries to help them obtain sufficient nutrition. In 2023 alone, 50 million Americans turned to emergency food providers, according to a report from Feeding America, America’s largest network of food banks. While food banks rely on a variety of sources (including private) to obtain food for distribution through their networks, federally purchased commodities are a key part of how they provide nutritious meals to Americans.
Due to this reported change, a number of us have heard that trucks delivering American-grown foods may not arrive. These trucks represent hundreds of thousands of nutritious meals containing poultry, fruits, vegetables, and dairy. If confirmed, the cancellation of this previously announced funding also comes on top of the cancellation of Local Food for School Program and the Local Food Purchase Assistance Program funding, which also helps farmers deliver nutritious foods to schools and food banks. These cuts will deprive Americans of food assistance, emergency food providers of necessary support to carry out their work, and American farmers of vital domestic markets.
To help us understand USDA’s actions and their impact on communities around the country, we ask that you answer the following questions.
1. Has USDA cancelled previously approved purchases of food provided through TEFAP? If so, what level of funding has been cancelled thus far and when will state agencies be notified of any cancelled TEFAP purchases?
2. Does USDA plan to cancel additional purchases of food provided through TEFAP?
3. Has USDA paused any TEFAP food orders or purchases? If so, what is the current status of those orders or purchases? Does USDA intend to un-pause these funds?
4. Please provide information on what types of funding, by commodity, have been cancelled and the financial impact of those cancellations on producers such as pork, chicken, turkey and dairy farmers.
5. Is the funding announced on October 1, 2024 and detailed in the implementation memo that the Food and Nutrition Service sent to state agencies on December 2 rescinded?
6. Does USDA intend to use Commodity Credit Corporation funds in Fiscal Year 2025 for future purchases that will be distributed through TEFAP?
We ask for a prompt response to these questions by the end of the week.
Sincerely,
