Posted on by Samantha Goyret

Call to ACTION!

Federal cuts to school and food bank programs threaten access to fresh, local food

On Monday, March 10, 2025, the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service was officially terminated by the Trump Administration during the second round of the Local Food for Schools and Child Care (LFSCC) program, effective May 6. This program was set to provide $660 million to states over the next three years, ensuring schools and child care sites could purchase fresh, local food from American farmers and ranchers. This decision is a devastating loss for local food producers, schools, child care providers, and families nationwide. Schools used this funding to offset food costs while increasing access to fresh, local foods. Farmers utilized these funds to sell market value farm goods to local school cafeterias – a large, stable market for our farmers and communities.

These programs stabilize local food supply chains by supporting regional food purchases for schools, food pantries, community kitchens, and other assistance efforts. Beyond meeting a direct short-term need, these programs spurred business development and significant economic impact by directing hundreds of millions of federal dollars into the hands of small businesses and producers nationwide. These programs have demonstrated their success in promoting rural prosperity and farmer viability, which led to the allocation of additional funding through LFPA 2025 and LFSCC 2025. 

Note: LFSCC funding is at the discretion of USDA through the Commodity Credit Corporation, and not directly appropriated by Congress.

The defunding of these programs will hurt Tennessee farmers, kids, and communities. Local Food for Schools and the Local Food Procurement Assistance Programs were a win-win, supporting student & community health and local economic development. Terminating these programs undercuts substantial gains that were made to strengthen connections in our local food system and increase food security for young people, and the hungry. We hope that USDA will recognize how impactful this program was and design new solutions that help farmers bring more nourishing, local food to students and their communities.

The Future of Local Food in Schools

The success of the LFS program demonstrated the importance of investing in local food systems, providing nutritious meals to students, and strengthening Tennessee’s agricultural economy. However, with the recent cut to LFSCC funding, schools and child care programs are left without the resources to continue local food purchasing at the same scale. Continued advocacy and investment at the state and federal levels are essential to ensuring Tennessee students have access to high-quality, locally sourced food while sustaining small farms and food businesses across the state.

Right now we need every voice to speak out on the impact of this decision. Here’s how you can help:

  1. Share Your Story:
    Use the National Farm to School Network’s Impact Form . They are collecting stories about how this reduction in funding will affect your community.
  2. Contact Your Elected and Local Officials: 
  • Easy task => Visit the National Farm to School Network’s Action Alert here to easily contact your federal legislators to raise the alarm (including talking points to easily craft your message!)
  • Raise your concerns to state officials, particularly your state Departments of Agriculture and Agriculture Commissioners, to urge them to fight for these programs. Not sure who to contact? Reach out to the NFSN Policy Team for help (Karen@farmtoschool.org).

In reaction to the announcements that USDA will terminate the second round of Local Food for Schools and Child Care and Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreements, some Members of Congress and Senators are reaching out to their colleagues to raise awareness. 

What you can do: 

  • Consult this table to check the amount of program funding in your state:
    • TENNESSEE – LFLS received over $4.1 million dollars in 2023
    • TENNESSEE – LFPA $8.2 million dollars in 2023
  • Tailor the scripts below to send an email to your legislators
    • We are currently reaching out to all members of the House of Representatives, and to Democratic Senators. 
    • Please note there are different scripts for the House and the Senate
  • If you don’t know who to reach out to, you can use the links below and paste the email text.
  • Call Senator Marsha Blackburn
  • Call Senator Bill Hagerty
  • Call Representative David Kustoff
  • The letter linked here is via a system called Quill that is only accessible to legislative offices — so you will not be able to open it, but it works! Please include it!

[Letter to the HOUSE]

Dear [LA or Staff person], 

As you have likely seen by now, USDA notified States, Tribes, and territories of the termination of the latest round of 2025 funding to support local food purchases via the Local Food Purchase Assistance and the Local Food for Schools and Child Care Programs, stating that it no longer effectuates the Department’s priorities.  

For [STATE], we will no longer receive [$X], nor be able to work with the hundreds of farmers that we have developed relationships with over the past two years. Nationwide, that is $1.2 billion that will no longer circulate through our local food economies and hundreds of thousands of families that will miss out on nutritious, locally sourced foods. 

Representatives Pingree, McGovern, and Adams are calling for Secretary Rollins to be accountable to farmers, community members, and assess the impact this decision will have and request future resources for impacted communities. 

Can you join them in this request by signing the letter by 4pm on Friday, March 14th? 

You can view and sign the letter using the Quill link; you can reach out to Chelsea Zissman in Congresswoman Pingree’s office with any questions: Chelsea.Zissman@mail.house.gov . 

*****

[Letter to the SENATE]

Dear [LA or staff person], 

As you have likely seen by now, USDA notified States, Tribes, and territories of the termination of the latest round of 2025 funding to support local food purchases via the Local Food Purchase Assistance and the Local Food for Schools and Child Care Programs, stating that it no longer effectuates the Department’s priorities.  

For [STATE], we will no longer receive [$X], nor be able to work with the hundreds of farmers that we have developed relationships with over the past two years. Nationwide, that is $1.2 billion that will no longer circulate through our local food economies and hundreds of thousands of families that will miss out on nutritious, locally sourced foods. 

Senators Schiff, Luján, and Klobuchar are calling for Secretary Rollins to be accountable to farmers, community members, and assess the impact this decision will have and consider reversing this decision.

Can you join them in this request by signing the letter. 

You can view and sign the letter using the Quill link;  please contact Caitlin_Balagula@schiff.senate.gov or Allie_Lock@senate.ag.gov for questions.

Many farmers in Northwest Tennessee increased their market access into local school districts through the Local Foods for Local Schools funding and Local Food Procurement Assistance Program in 2023-2024.

Talking Points

 Local Food for Schools and Child Care (LFSCC)

  • Weakley, Milan, Trenton, Cheatham, Crockett, received $100k in LFS funding 
  • Farms such as Bell Family Farms, Blackberry Pond, Cowen Blackberries, Stockyard Market, Green Acres, Future Visions, and more received fair market value for their products.   
Student at Conway Schools in Arkansas eating locally grown Purple Hull Peas grown by Healthy Flavors, Arkansas.
  • Schools would NOT HAVE been able to buy those products if it weren’t for the LFS money due the pricing and competitive bidding process for school food purchasing. 
  • Students were able to enjoy farm fresh produce and protein grown in their region. 
  • Students enjoyed minimally processed and nutritionally dense foods that weren’t available in previous years.  
  • Money spent with LFS funds stayed in the local community instead of being paid to a corporate food distributor.
  • LFS Funding provides schools a much-need relief to the budgets of the school nutritions programs, and allowed them to add more appealing menu items. 
  • School nutrition departments are the biggest restaurant in the city, when nutrition departments invest in buying locally produced produce and proteins, everyone benefits. 
  • The additional funds allowed school districts to purchase higher-cost items without dipping into their already limited budgets. Schools used their standard procurement method to secure local foods.
  • The increasing costs of food without the supplemental LFSCC funds will decrease the quality of school lunches. As a result, the school lunches will be less attractive and fewer students will eat the lunch which has ripple effects on their academic performance.   
  • Secretary Rollins has said about her vision for the USDA — many of the goals she cites are directly accomplished with LFSCC and LFPA funds. In a speech on March 4, 2005, she told audiences that wants USDA to:

– Restore rural prosperity.

– Focus on supporting small scale and mid-tier farmers and ranchers.

– (She makes no mention to feed children, to feed our country.)

In the News

These are a few types of vegetables and fruit public school children had ACCESS to thanks to this funding. Fresh, local, quality, nutritious, and oh so tasty!

RESOURCES FOR FARMERS

Folks are doing a FANTASTIC job keeping farmers & local & regional food systems in the spotlight right now – keep up the great work y’all. Below are some helpful compilations of resources that folks are keeping up to date. Bookmark these go-to pages: