HARRISBURG, P.A. (KYW Newsradio) — Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro called the Trump administration’s decision to cancel a contract that pays farmers to stock local food banks “abrupt” and “unlawful.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced as part of the administration’s ongoing DOGE cuts that it would be terminating the Local Food Purchasing Assistance Program.
As part of the program signed in December of last year, Shapiro said it would send $13 million over three years to 189 Pennsylvania farmers that provide food and more to 14 food banks across the state.
“In one fell, illegal swoop, the Trump administration has screwed over farmers and made it harder for people who are hungry in Pennsylvania,” said the governor.
Shapiro said five foodbanks in the Philadelphia area stand to lose about $4.6 million, which he said is about 5.3 million pounds of food.
Pennsylvania’s Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said an internal appeal was with the USDA, and said additional legal action may be taken.
The USDA said the cuts are part of a restructuring, moving away from what it calls short-term pandemic-era programs to focus on long-term solutions to food insecurity.
“I'm not sure how the United States Department of Agriculture can say that supporting farmers and those who are hungry isn't part of their mission,” said Shapiro. “That should be their sole mission.”