18-03-2025
School officials respond to federal cuts on locally grown food programs
BECKLEY, WV (WVNS) — State data shows that over the last three years, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has put about $4 million into state school districts through the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement, a grant program which is used by local districts to buy local produce, dairy and meat products.
Rick Snuffer, chairman of the USDA State Committee for West Virginia, is also elected to the Raleigh County Board of Education.
He said on Monday, March 17, 2025, that the grants will not be renewed.
The cut was announced while federal workers at the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency said they would cut unnecessary spending from other federal departments.
Snuffer said news of the USDA grant cuts were made as school district officials felt uncertain on a state level, because of a reported $300 million leaving public school budgets next academic year as part of West Virginia's tax-funded school choice programs, which allows parents to receive around $5,000 per academic year per student if the parents choose private or homeschool education.
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'From a budgetary standpoint, school boards are uneasy right now,' said Snuffer. 'We don't know where all of our state funding is coming from. We hear rumors about federal fundings (being cut). So, it's just another thing when you have this thing with USDA added into it, which causes confusion and causes stress for local school systems.'
Snuffer said Raleigh County Schools will not be impacted because the district is too populated for local farmers to supply food for school lunches.
Greenbrier County Child Nutrition Director Heather Lively said her district is a Farm to School district and is commissioned to purchase five percent of their food locally.
Lively said she was unsure if the requirement would change, if the LFSCA grant was cut.
'We haven't been told if that number will change if the grant's not there,' she said. 'We will be sitting down with the Business Office over the summer to come up with a plan.'
Fayette County Schools is listed as a partner on the West Virginia Farm to School website.
Andrew Pense, Director of Child Nutrition for Fayette County Schools, said if the grant is cut, it is a step backwards for supplying fresh food in school.
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He added that he was hopeful federal funding for fresh produce programs will continue, as 16 'top priority' programs 'all feed into this.'
'That money may be reallocated to child nutrition programs. It may be reallocated to farmers in another way,' said Pense. 'It's still too early to tell, and that's why I'm cautiously optimistic there's not going to be a negative impact.
'Hopefully, there will be positive impacts that come out of this,' he added.
Pense also said that his district sourced locally grown food prior to the USDA grants and will continue to do so, despite cuts.
Snuffer said he would like for state lawmakers to continue funding streams similar to LFSCA.
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'It's a real tight budget. You know, they were I think $400 million in the hole when they started out from last year,' said Snuffer, referring to claims of a budgetary shortfall earlier made by Governor Patrick Morissey. 'So, it looks like new programs, as far as I can see, will have trouble getting traction.'
Sen. Jim Justice, who served as governor prior to Morrisey, has denied there was a shortfall in the state budget when he left office.
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