Latest news with #FoodBanks
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
CAPITOL ROUNDUP: State leaders unite to support farmers, food banks, families
Jul. 5—WILKES-BARRE — Gov. Josh Shapiro visited Destiny Dairy Bar in Carlisle this week, alongside Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding and the bipartisan chairs of the Pennsylvania General Assembly's Agriculture Committees — Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, Rep. Dan Moul, Sen. Elder Vogel, and Sen. Judy Schwank. The Governor was joined by this group of bipartisan legislative leaders, who recently sent a joint letter to Congress urging federal officials to restore the $13 million in federal funding that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) abruptly and unlawfully terminated earlier this year. Together, they highlighted the critical importance of the Commonwealth's Local Food Purchase Assistance Program, which has supported 189 Pennsylvania farms and 14 food banks — helping farmers feed families in need. "Pennsylvania farmers work hard every day to put food on our tables — and with Washington breaking its promise to them, we're standing up for our farmers and food banks," said Shapiro. "This funding helps hundreds of family farms and food banks feed people in need. This isn't a partisan issue — it's about doing what's best for Pennsylvania farmers and communities, and about making sure the federal government keeps the contract it made with the people of Pennsylvania." Representatives Pashinski and Moul and Senators Vogel and Schwank are also calling on Congress to act swiftly to restore this critical funding for Pennsylvania's farmers and families. In their joint letter, they wrote: "As members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, we work across the aisle to uphold support for our farmers and food system in every community. The USDA's decision not only jeopardizes food access but also undermines the farmers who are the foundation of our food system and work tirelessly to keep America fed." Since 2022, nearly $30 million in LFPA funding has helped small and mid-sized farms across Pennsylvania supply fresh, locally grown products to food banks — keeping every federal dollar in the Commonwealth — and supporting farmers in the dairy, produce, meat, poultry, egg and grain sectors. Agriculture remains a cornerstone of Pennsylvania's economy, with more than 53,000 farms generating $132.5 billion annually and supporting 600,000 jobs. "This isn't just a bureaucratic disagreement — it's about real people, real livelihoods, and real meals for families who need them," said Redding. "We are deeply grateful to our legislative leaders for standing with us and ensuring that agriculture remains a united front in Pennsylvania." Meuser co-sponsors Reliable Power Act U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Dallas, co-sponsored H.R. 3616 — the Reliable Power Act — legislation that aims to ensure federal agencies consider the impact of their regulations on electric grid reliability before finalizing new rules. The bill is a direct response to growing concerns that rushed, ideologically-driven policies from the Biden Administration put America's power supply at risk. The Reliable Power Act aims to strengthen coordination between federal agencies and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission whenever new regulations could impact electric generation or threaten the long-term dependability of the bulk-power system. Meuser said it builds on the framework of previous grid reliability legislation by requiring annual assessments of electric reliability and empowering FERC to intervene if a proposed regulation would compromise the grid's integrity. Meuser said the bill prevents any federal rule from moving forward if it's determined to cause a substantial negative effect on grid reliability. He said this ensures agencies like the EPA can't implement new mandates without first understanding their real-world consequences for energy access, affordability and reliability — particularly in high-demand regions like Pennsylvania. "As we pursue energy innovation and independence, we must not sacrifice reliability," said Meuser. "This legislation is about keeping the lights on, protecting jobs, and ensuring that working families and small businesses aren't harmed by short-sighted or poorly coordinated federal policies. The Reliable Power Act makes clear that federal agencies must evaluate the consequences of their actions before putting our electric grid at risk." The legislation reported favorably out of the Energy and Commerce Committee by a vote of 28-23 and awaits further consideration in the House. Pennsylvania remains in strong fiscal standing The Shapiro Administration reported this week that the Commonwealth ended the 2024 — 25 Fiscal Year collecting $321 million more in revenue than originally estimated, further strengthening its position at the start of the fiscal year. The Commonwealth is sitting on a nearly $11 billion surplus, including the General Fund surplus and the Budget Stabilization Fund (i.e. rainy day fund). In total, the Commonwealth collected $46.4 billion in General Fund revenue in FY 2024 — 25, $321 million, or 0.7% above initial estimates from last June. Comparatively, the Commonwealth further outperformed the Independent Fiscal Office (IFO)'s original projection, which was $639 million below actual collections, or 1.4% off. Final collections were also within the 2% forecast range targeted by the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue. A recent bond refinancing will save taxpayers more than $71 million over the life of the bonds. Altogether, through bond refinancing completed under Shapiro, taxpayers will benefit from $193 million in savings over the next decade. Moody's Ratings, Fitch Ratings and S&P Global Ratings all reaffirmed Pennsylvania's positive rating status, citing responsible budgeting and a solid financial position. Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.
Fast Company
11-05-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
Trump abruptly stopped paying farmers to feed in-need Californians—so they fought back
Every year brings its own unique challenges for California farmers: water shortages, fires, finding laborers to do the work, bureaucrats in Sacramento adding new requirements and fees, and more. But the second term of President Donald Trump has made this year very different. As part of deep cuts across much of the government, Trump's administration chopped $1 billion from the U.S. Department of Agriculture almost without warning. This led to widespread financial pain that affected already struggling farmers and left hungry patrons of food banks in many parts of the country desperate for other sources of healthy food. On February 28, California officials warned farmers who had grown food for schools and food banks that there was funding only for work done up to January 19, despite the fact that farmers had submitted invoices for work and harvests past that date. California farmers quickly organized a phone call and email campaign over the span of seven days in early March to demand the attention of elected representatives and answers from federal officials. By March 7, their efforts were successful: They would receive pay for the fall and for harvests for the rest of this year. But their success was overshadowed by news that the program would stop at the end of 2025. For Bryce Loewen, a farmer who co-owns Blossom Bluff Orchards in Fresno County, the first freeze in funding meant that the USDA failed to hand over more than $30,000 that it owed the business for growing food to help feed Californians who could not afford it. There isn't really a good time to get stiffed for your work. But during winter, the slowest season on the farm, there's downtime, and California farmers like Loewen recently used that lull to fight to regain the money farmers were owed and help feed some of their most vulnerable neighbors. 'A farmer's instinct is to fix things,' Loewen said. 'And that's what we did.' Loewen's farm is in the small town of Parlier, California, which has a declining population of less than 15,000. On March 1, Loewen called federal officials to try to change their minds about the funding cut. Farming is a business of slim margins, and Loewen was trying to keep his farm from falling into debt, he said. Loewen was just one of many farmers in California and around the country who called and emailed officials that day. They asked why they hadn't been paid, and they described the economic benefit of the USDA funds to small farms and public health services and to agencies that feed people in their own communities who are struggling. Loewen left messages and wrote emails to Rep. Jim Costa (D-Fresno); Brooke Rollins, the secretary of agriculture; and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York. Other farmers also contacted Rollins, their local representatives, and congressional and Senate leadership on both sides of the political aisle. The impromptu campaign was somewhat successful. Six days later, the USDA agreed to pay farmers for their fall harvest and contracts for 2025, but not beyond. The USDA did not respond to calls and emails from Capital & Main about why the cuts were made or why they were restored. Neither the USDA nor Rollins have publicly acknowledged hearing from farmers about the cuts. In securing payments for slightly more than nine additional months, the farmers' relative success might offer lessons for other groups targeted by government cuts as they seek to claw back some resources for crucial programs. California may be world-famous for its beaches, Hollywood, and Big Tech, but many people don't realize that the state's vast Central Valley supplies a quarter of all food to the United States. In the Golden State, agriculture is the backbone of many local economies, from the state's southern frontier with Mexico all the way to its northern border with Oregon. This is especially true in the state's agricultural heartland. Yet many residents who live in what dust-bowl musician Woody Guthrie once referred to as the ' Pastures of Plenty ' cannot afford the fresh, locally grown food that surrounds them in the region's villages and towns. The Healthy Fresno County Community Dashboard, which publishes local health information, reported that 16% of the county's 1 million residents in 2022 were considered 'food insecure.' Those rates were higher for the county's Black and Hispanic residents in comparison to their white peers. Since 2006, the USDA has used the term 'food insecurity' to describe the status that leads to weakness, illness, and harm to families who lack stable access to food. It disproportionately affects lower-income groups in the state. Food insecurity includes the inability to afford a balanced diet, fear that a home's food supply won't last, or having to eat less because one can't afford to buy more food. An insecure food supply causes physical pangs of hunger in adults, as well as stress and depression, particularly in mothers. Limited food intake affects brain development in children, prompting stress among preschoolers and affecting a student's ability to learn basic subjects such as math and writing. In California, 9 of 20 adults with low incomes reported 'limited, uncertain, or inconsistent' access to food in 2023, according to a California Health Interview Survey. Loewen's farm helps feed some struggling Californians with the help of money through a $400 million federal program called the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program. The California Department of Social Services distributes the funds across the state through a program called Farms Together. Farmers weren't the only ones to feel the pain of the USDA cuts between late February and March 11, said Paul Towers, executive director of Community Alliance With Family Farmers. His organization helps distribute food from small farms to food banks and school districts. During a two-week period, food banks didn't receive any such food, which left people who rely on that food aid to scramble for something to eat. 'That's two weeks of lost income' for farmers, Towers said. 'And two weeks of no food.' Nationwide, 18 million Americans were food insecure in 2023, according to the USDA. Most of those people live in rural counties such as Fresno County, according to Feeding America, a national network of food banks and pantries. By March 10, news of the cuts was spreading. The online agriculture and food policy news outlet Agri-Pulse warned in a headline: 'Trump administration canceling local food initiatives.' On March 11, Fox News highlighted the cuts to farmers—who voted disproportionately in favor of Trump during his presidential campaigns—in a live interview with Rollins. 'America's Newsroom' anchor Bill Hemmer asked Rollins to justify the $1 billion cuts in food security aid to schools and food banks. Rollins offered conflicting responses. The cuts were to pandemic-era food programs and were aimed at new and nonessential programs, she said. Rollins said the program's cost had grown but didn't offer any evidence to back that up. The initial iteration of the local food purchasing assistance, the Farmers to Families Food Box Program, was a multibillion dollar pandemic food aid project started during Trump's first term. But Rollins didn't share that detail. Speaking of other cuts made the day before the interview, she added that authorities had canceled 'more contracts on food justice for trans people in New York and San Francisco; obviously that's different than the food programs in the schools, but it is really important.' The local food purchase agreement didn't, and still doesn't, favor food aid or food justice to trans people. It pays for farmers to grow food that goes to food banks and school districts. Rollins didn't acknowledge that the cuts were overzealous or the harm that they might cause. 'As we have always said, if we are making mistakes, we will own those mistakes, and we will reconfigure. But right now, from what we are viewing, [the local food purchase assistance] program was nonessential. … It was a new program, and it was an effort by the Left to continue spending taxpayer dollars that [was] not necessary,' Rollins told Fox News. On March 11, the Community Alliance With Family Farmers posted on its blog: 'The reinstatement of Farms Together is a victory worth celebrating. Through collective action, the voices of farmers and allies were heard, but the fight isn't over. Farms Together IS restored—though only temporarily.' 'Our intent,' Towers said, 'was to make sure Secretary Rollins heard directly from farmers that they were harmed by the cuts to these programs.'
