Orders Cancelled But Shelves Remain Stocked At Food Banks Through Usda Cuts

1 week ago

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - One cardinal dollars trim from nan U.S. Department of Agriculture is starting to trickle down, according to nan Federation of Virginia Food Banks.

Roughly half of those cuts were to nan Emergency Food Assistance Program, aliases TEFAP, from which organizations for illustration nan Blue Ridge Area Food Bank person important funding.

“One 100 30 orders of nutrient that nutrient banks had placed that are now showing up arsenic cancelled successful nan system,” said Eddie Oliver, Executive Director of nan Federation of Virginia Food Banks. “So erstwhile cuts for illustration this travel retired of near field, it tin time off america scrambling.”

This comes arsenic nutrient banks person been seeing a dependable emergence successful request since nan pandemic. According to Oliver, nutrient banks crossed nan Commonwealth saw a 20% emergence successful request from 2023 to 2024.

“We’re already benignant of stretched to nan limit successful position of spending money connected food,” Oliver said.

Now, Virginia’s nutrient banks are being deed pinch a $3.5-million simplification successful national backing this year.

“It’s not an insurmountable cut, but it’s decidedly going to return a small spot of other activity connected our part,” Oliver said.

Seven 100 1000 Virginians person thief from nutrient banks. Blue Ridge Area Food is 1 of 7 successful nan region, and receives astir 25% of its backing from USDA.

Les Sinclair, is nan nutrient bank’s communications head said it is holding up amidst nan cuts and uncertainty.

“These cuts are decidedly header worthy,” Sinclair said. “The reality is, it’s impacting america minimally. We scheme very acold ahead.”

A 10% backing trim is noticeable, Sinclair explained, but not a decease knell for nan nutrient bank.

“If you ideate 10% of your market shop going away, arsenic agelong arsenic nan staples are there, you astir apt wouldn’t announcement that possibly 1 marque of Italian dressing is missing,” Sinclair said.

Sinclair said complete nan years, nan nutrient slope has survived a lot. He believes these backing cuts will beryllium nary different.

However, Sinclair said, nan nutrient slope wants to return an progressive domiciled successful its fate. Facing cuts from national agencies, its turning to Congress for support, calling for nan transition of a fortified Farm Bill successful 2025.

“The Farm Bill comes up for reauthorization each 5 years, and we’re advocating for a very beardown bipartisan workplace measure that supports farmers and nutrient banks,” Sinclair said. “That is very important to us.”

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