Triad food banks, schools impacted by USDA cuts
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. WGHP) — Second Harvest Food Bank staff are tasked with feeding families in need in the northwestern portions of North Carolina
This is an effort CEO Eric Aft says is made possible through a partnership with local farmers, specifically, the federally funded Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program.
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'We aggregate … the produce as well as the meat and get that together and distribute that to our network partner programs. That includes over 300 food pantries in over 18 counties,' Aft said.
The U.S Department of Agriculture cut more than $1 billion in federal funds for two programs. Aft says the cut makes the fight to end food insecurity in NC more complicated.
Aft says eventually they'll no longer federally fund some of the farms in the Piedmont Triad.
'Glow House Agriculture … works with many farmers in the area … Another farmer that works with a lot of cattle. We get a lot of beef from them … There will be no more funding going forward. That's going to harm their ability and their work to provide food across the area,' Aft said.
Farmers aren't the only ones impacted by federal cuts to nutrition programs.
The School Nutrition Association, which represents cafeteria workers, said the USDA cut $660 million to the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program this year.
It's a cut Guilford County Schools Superintendent Dr. Whitney Oakley is keeping a close eye on.
'We know that there were cuts to the federal department as recently as yesterday evening. Programs that come federally include most of our special education funding school meals,' Oakley said
FOX8 reached out to GCS to see which specific nutrition programs may be impacted.
A spokesperson says they're waiting on direction from the North Carolina State Board of Education.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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