The U.S. Department of Agriculture is ending a pandemic-era program that provided hundreds of millions annually for schools and food banks across the country to buy from local farmers and producers.
The USDA food bank program provided about $11 million to North Carolina, including $2 million to Second Harvest Food Bank, says CEO Eric Aft.
He supports the idea of the government assessing how it spends money. But Aft says the funds being cut have been impactful.
“It's about using funds to invest in local farmers, supporting the local economies that they are critical to, as well as helping our neighbors who are facing food insecurity," he says. "That is just a tremendous investment of taxpayer money.”
Aft says the cuts come at a time when the need is growing. In February the agency provided meals to more than 76,000 people in an 18-county area of northwest North Carolina. That's an increase of more than 50 percent from just two years ago.
He says the cuts will hit rural farmers and food recipients the agency serves hardest.
USDA officials say the pandemic-era programs do not support the agency’s priorities.