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USDA cuts could limit local food assistance

By Isabella Vesperini

Posted March 17, 2025

Approximately 60 percent of the Community Kitchen's meals go to at-risk kids. (Bente Bouthier, WFIU/WTIU News)

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently cut two programs that gave schools and food banks money to buy food from farmers, putting local food assistance for at-risk kids in jeopardy.

The Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program provided funds to states to purchase local food for school food programs. The Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program funded state, tribal and territorial government purchase of foods within states or within 400 miles of the delivery destination. Over $1 billion has been canceled for the 2025 fiscal year; Indiana would have received over $21.8 million from these two programs. Agreements terminate 60 days after notification.

Tim Clougher, assistant director of Bloomington’s Community Kitchen, said approximately 60 percent of its meals go to at-risk kids. The Kitchen provides food to kids through the Backpack Buddies program, and also distributes food, nearly 200 snacks and over 100 meals a day, at after-school programs at the Boys and Girls Clubs. Children also receive food during the summer when school is not in session.

The USDA cuts will make it harder for him to provide complete meals.

“The less funding we get through the USDA and other programs, the less kids we're going to be able to reach, the less people we're going to be able to feed,” he said.

Clougher said he purchases food from the Hoosier Hills Food Bank and local farms. He receives approximately $80,000 a year from the USDA to buy the food.

“In the summertime, when we go to neighborhoods to serve lunches, the kids are required to sit and eat the lunch in front of us,” he said. “Some of the neighborhoods we go to, the parents want their kids to get a lunch and come home, so therefore we're not able to claim those meals. We still provide them, but there is a gap in funding there because we're trying to follow the rules, but we don't want kids to miss out.”

While that specific $80,000 of funding isn’t at risk with the USDA’s most recent cuts, Clougher is worried that future potential budget cuts will hinder at-risk kids’ access to food. Clougher is already preparing for additional future cuts and looking at grants and connecting with the local government to find a solution that can provide consistent funding.

“If worse came to worst, what parts of the program we would have to cut?” he said. “For example, in the summer, if we provide breakfast and lunch at one of the Boys and Girls Clubs, does that mean we would only be able to provide lunch and not do the breakfast?”