Funding cuts hit school food programs

The Agriculture Department has announced the cancellation of two programs that provided over $1bn in federal funding for schools to purchase food from local farms. This decision affects approximately $660m that schools and child care facilities were expecting to receive through the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program in 2025, as reported by the School Nutrition Association. State officials were informed of the USDA’s decision on Friday, impacting more than 40 states that had previously signed agreements to participate in the program.