Oklahoma food banks impacted by federal budget cuts to food assistance programs
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — Food banks across the state are feeling the impact of federal budget cuts to food assistance programs.
'Literally, we've seen less food,' said Stacy Dykstra, the CEO of the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma. 'So, it's really unsettling… When we lose these resources, it directly impacts people facing hunger in our state.'
LOCAL NEWS: 'One of the most impactful Oklahomans ever': Public service held for David Boren
The U.S. Agriculture Department slashed two federal programs that spent over $1 billion annually to help schools and food banks buy food from local farms and ranches.
'They're [food banks are] taking some of the hit now, but it's going to be over time that it builds, because they already have higher demand than they've ever had,' said Chris Bernard, the CEO of Hunger Free Oklahoma.
In a statement to KFOR earlier this month, the USDA said:
'USDA can confirm it has provided notice to States, Territories and Tribes that the FY 2025 funding previously announced for the pandemic-era Local Food for Schools and Child Care Cooperative Agreement (LFSCC) and pandemic-era Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement program (LFPA25) is no longer available and those agreements will be terminated following 60-day notification. These programs, created under the former Administration via Executive authority, no longer effectuate the goals of the agency. LFPA and LFPA Plus agreements that were in place prior to LFPA 25, which still have substantial financial resources remaining, will continue to be in effect for the remainder of the period of performance. AMS will resume processing claims for payment for LFPA and LFPA Plus for activities accruing prior to and after January 20, 2025.'
USDA Spokesperson
'What that's going to do is make them [food banks] have to scramble to try and raise more money,' said Bernard. 'But honestly, there's only so much money you can raise as a charity, and so you're not going to be able to fully fill that gap.'
LOCAL NEWS: Okla. Innovation Expansion Program opens applications March 31 – April 11, 2025
The cuts come as Oklahoma is ranked the 6th hungriest state in the nation. More than 15 percent of households across the state are considered food insecure.
'We've got to support our most vulnerable Oklahomans, who are, you know, falling on hard times and need a little support now and then,' said Dykstra.
Bernard said while the loss of the programs is 'significant,' it's 'not world ending.' However, he is worried more federal programs could eventually be cut as well, leading to a bigger issue.
'It will be a pain point, but something that you can try and kind of figure out how to address over time,' said Bernard. 'The problem is, it's not in a vacuum, and there are lots of other things happening that are putting more pressures on households and reducing the amount of resources going to folks in need. And that's where you're going to see the system start to crumble.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Cibus says USDA designates HT2 as ‘not regulated' under biotech regulations
Cibus (CBUS) announced that its most recent trait for its herbicide tolerance trait in Canola has been designated as 'not regulated' by the United States Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Biotechnology Regulatory Services as Plant Pests or Which There is Reason to Believe Are Plant Pests, as described in 7 CFR part 340. Consistent with other Cibus developed and advanced traits developed utilizing Cibus' Rapid Trait Development System, this most recent USDA-APHIS regulatory determination, along with others recently announced, brings Cibus' total number of traits designated as not regulated to seventeen. Easily unpack a company's performance with TipRanks' new KPI Data for smart investment decisions Receive undervalued, market resilient stocks right to your inbox with TipRanks' Smart Value Newsletter Published first on TheFly – the ultimate source for real-time, market-moving breaking financial news. Try Now>> See Insiders' Hot Stocks on TipRanks >> Read More on CBUS: Disclaimer & DisclosureReport an Issue Cibus Stock (CBUS) Plummets 30% on Public Offering Pricing Morning News Wrap-Up: Thursday's Biggest Stock Market Stories Cibus prices 15.7M shares at $1.75 in public offering Cibus Announces Strategic Realignment to Streamline Operations Cibus announces Class A common stock offering, no amount given
Associated Press
8 hours ago
- Associated Press
$3 Billion to Buy U.S. Agricultural Commodities: Vietnam Seeks a Good Deal of Reciprocal Trade Agreement with the U.S.
WASHINGTON D.C, US - Media OutReach Newswire - 7 June 2025 - Vietnam's Minister of Agriculture and Environment Do Duc Duy led a delegation of nearly 50 agencies, agribusinesses, and associations to the United States from June 2–6, 2025, to promote trade and increase imports of agricultural and timber products. The delegation held business dialogues in Iowa, Ohio, Maryland and Washington, D.C. MoU signing to purchase US agricultural commodities. The visit aimed to boost two-way trade and open new opportunities for Vietnam to import more U.S. agrifood and timber, contributing to a more balanced trade relationship. Beyond trade, the delegation also sought access to new technologies to enhance the competitiveness of Vietnam's agricultural value chains. Minister Duy noted that while both countries have strong agricultural sectors, their strengths are complementary rather than competitive. 'With strong support from both governments, agriculture in Vietnam and the U.S. is becoming more interconnected. We now share parts of the same supply chains, which helps increase our competitiveness and benefits producers and consumers in both countries,' the Minister stated. 'Vietnamese agribusinesses are working closely with the government to increase purchases of US agrifood and timber products. This effort supports trade balance and strengthens the supply chain between our two countries, hence contributing to global food security'. He emphasized that this initiative also reflects Vietnam's commitment to deepening trust and advancing the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership as the two countries celebrate 30 years of diplomatic relations. During the trip, Vietnamese businesses signed 20 MoUs, worth a total of $3 billion to buy U.S. agricultural commodities. These agreements highlight the strong commitment and goodwill of Vietnam's business community and government to promote balanced trade with the U.S., and to encourage the Trump Administration to reconsider high reciprocal tariffs on Vietnamese goods. The visit was warmly welcomed and highly valued by U.S. partners. Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds immediately shared her appreciation on X following her meeting with Minister Do Duc Duy: 'Excited to welcome Vietnam's Minister of Agriculture and Environment, Do Duc Duy, and the whole Vietnamese delegation to Iowa and celebrate the signing of MOUs and purchase agreements for Iowa commodities. The agreements today will help our farmers and strengthen the agricultural supply chain between Vietnam and Iowa'. Following the Governor, Mike Naig, Secretary of Iowa Department of Agriculture, put on X: 'Yesterday, I met with Vietnam's ag minister and a major trade delegation working to strengthen ties with U.S. ag producers. Of the $2B in new MOUs signed, $800M is tied to Iowa'. Brian Baldridge, Ohio Secretary of Agriculture, emphasized during his meeting with Minister Duy that Vietnam and the US, especially Vietnam and Ohio, have complementary strengths, particularly in agricultural trade. Ohio sees strong potentials in Vietnam and recognizes the opportunities to expand bilateral trade. He noted that stakeholders from both sides should explore new ways for farmers, agribusinesses, and associations to collaborate and build strong, integrated supply chains. To support this, both governments should work to remove barriers to agricultural trade. Following the signing of MoUs with Vietnamese partners to purchase more than $600 million worth of animal feed from Ohio, Patty Mann, Chair of the Ohio Corn Checkoff, stated: 'These agreements represent a major win for Ohio corn farmers. Vietnam continues to be a growing and reliable export market, and partnerships like this help ensure we can keep delivering high-quality, Ohio-grown products to the world'. This was elaborated further by Wendy Osborn, Director of Market Development, Ohio Corn and Wheat: 'The MOUs signed today represent potential commitments of significant volumes of agricultural commodities and strategic partnerships that will support Vietnam's growing agricultural sector while providing sustainable markets for Ohio's farm families. These agreements build upon the strong foundation established through years of relationship-building. May these agreements serve as a foundation for many years of continued collaboration and mutual prosperity'. During a roundtable with the US-ASEAN Business Council (USABC) in Washington D.C, Ted Osius, President and CEO of USABC, expressed strong support for Vietnam's agricultural development: 'Rapid changes in U.S. tariff policies have created a challenging trade environment. We're encouraged that Vietnam is considering increasing imports of agricultural goods to help reduce its trade deficit with the U.S. USABC and its member companies remain committed to supporting the growth of Vietnam's food and agriculture sector'. In response to the USABC President, Minister Duy reaffirmed the Vietnam government's strong commitment to continuing institutional reforms, improving administrative efficiency, upgrading infrastructure, and creating the most favorable environment for international businesses, including U.S. enterprises, to expand trade and investment with Vietnam in a long-term and effective manner. Roundtable discussion between Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture and Environment with USABC in Washington DC. During the meeting with Minister Duy, the Chairs of the Agriculture Committees of both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives expressed enthusiasm and optimism about the remarkable outcomes of the Vietnamese delegation's visit to Iowa, Ohio, and Washington, D.C. Senator John Boozman was particularly impressed by Vietnam's robust economic growth and the strong potential for long-term cooperation between the two countries. He highlighted Vietnam's role as a dynamic and reliable economic partner in the Asia-Pacific region. The Senator expressed support for efforts to achieve a fair tariff agreement and pledged to fully convey Vietnam's recommendations to relevant US authorities. Representative Glenn Thompson showed special interest in the high-value deals for US agricultural commodities secured during the Minister's visit. He expressed confidence in the prospects for deeper cooperation between the two agricultural sectors and emphasized the need for the US government to promptly address concerns over the high reciprocal tariffs that may be applied to Vietnam exports. He welcomed Vietnam's decision to commercialize biotechnology-based agricultural products imported from the US, calling it a clear signal of Vietnam's determination to modernize its agriculture and integrate more closely with the US supply chains. Businesses and associations from both countries expressed hope that the Vietnamese and US governments would continue to support bilateral trade and strengthen links across their complementary agricultural supply chains. Their shared goal is to bring tangible benefits to millions of farmers, consumers, and businesses in both countries. As such, businesses on both sides are urging the removal of the reciprocal tariffs imposed by the Trump Administration on Vietnam. The 46% tariff has been reported to harm not only Vietnamese exporters but also U.S. businesses and consumers. Since agrifood is a staple commodity, higher price would place a considerable burden on average-income American households. Moreover, such measures could disrupt the supply chains that both governments and the private sector have worked hard to establish in recent years. Businesses wish for a trade agreement between the U.S. and Vietnam soonly concluded, thereby lowering tariffs on agricultural commodities, reinforcing shared supply chains and contributing to the prosperity of both countries under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Hashtag: #MAE The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Yahoo
Heartland Flyer facing permanent suspension after Texas legislature declines funding
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – The Heartland Flyer, Oklahoma's only Amtrak train route, is facing permanent suspension after Texas lawmakers declined to fund its share of the route's budget. Since June 14, 1999, the Heartland Flyer has provided daily routes between Oklahoma City and Fort Worth, Texas. The Heartland Flyer is a jointly funded partnership between ODOT and TXDOT, using each state's tax dollars. Passenger train between OKC, Fort Worth could soon see its last ride The Heartland Flyer was recently being considered for expansion to Kansas. Amtrak, which operates the route, says funding decisions for state-sponsored services are determined locally. Peter LeCody, president of Texas Rail Advocates, says losing the train would hurt both Texas and Oklahoma. 'If it should go away because of budget constraints in Texas, we're going to be putting probably more than 50,000 vehicles back on Interstate 35, and that's not a good deal,' said LeCody. According to Derek Sparks, Director of Government Relations for the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber, the train is needed now more than ever. 'We are literally in an incredible moment for marketing our community, and it is correct to say that the timing is very unfortunate that we would be losing something that many people who come here may enjoy in their own community, and it sends the wrong signal,' said Sparks. The Texas Department of Transportation requested $7M to uphold their end of the deal, but the funds were not approved in Texas's budget cycle. It could also have an economic impact on both states. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt has implied he's not picking up the slack. 'We'll see what we have to do on this side,' Stitt said. 'We're not going to pick up their end of that. And so we're not sure exactly what's going to happen with that.' The Texas Department of Transportation says it has no contractual obligations to Oklahoma. However, Amtrak did say they're seeking possible solutions, but so far, no specifics. Democratic Senator Mark Mann has supported the Heartland Flyer for years, issuing a statement about Texas's decision to no longer fund the rail service. While it was disheartening to learn that the Texas legislature failed to fund their portion of the Heartland Flyer, I am not feeling defeated. There are still other options that can and need to be explored in order to secure the funding necessary to continue service. I am currently working with the Oklahoma City Chamber to identify a coalition of interested stakeholders to explore how we can secure funding and continue the Heartland Flyer train service. Sen. Mark Mann The budget for the train service runs out sometime before October 1, 2025. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
