Local Food Programs Face Sudden End

Apr 15, 2025
By Farms.com

Local Food Program Cuts Disappoint Farmers

Two USDA programs that brought fresh, local food to schools and food banks have been cancelled, causing concern among farmers and food security advocates. The Local Food for Schools and Local Food Purchase Assistance programs were launched in 2022 to support local producers and provide healthy meals.

In Clear Lake, Iowa, school cafeterias used these funds to offer locally sourced fruits, vegetables, and meats. Food service director Julie Udelhofen hoped to expand into local beef and chicken purchases. She described the program as a great benefit for students and farmers alike.

However, the USDA announced in March that the programs were non-essential and part of emergency COVID-era spending. This ended hopes for an upcoming $1.2 billion extension.

The impact is widespread. Missouri farmer Liz Graznak had expanded operations based on these programs, contributing to a quarter of her annual sales. She now faces staffing cuts and financial losses. In Nebraska, producer Kyle Lammers may lose school clients he worked hard to supply.

Food banks are also hit hard. In Iowa, Missy Loux of the First Lutheran Food Pantry said the funding helped deliver fresh produce and milk to nearly 1,000 people monthly. Demand is rising, but support is declining.

Despite the setback, organizations like Food Bank for the Heartland plan to continue working with local growers. Many in the agriculture sector hope similar support programs will be introduced again soon.

These efforts have shown the value of building sustainable, regional food systems that benefit both producers and communities.

Photo Credit: usda

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.