USDA responds after cutting $700K in food deliveries from Second Harvest
The news came at the end of March, when Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee said that the federal government had canceled deliveries from 21 tractor-trailers containing more than $700,000 worth of food.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - The U.S. Department of Agriculture claims that it’s still committed to getting those in need fed, even after cutting key funding that delivered food to one of East Tennessee’s largest food banks.
The news came at the end of March, when Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee said that the federal government had canceled deliveries from 21 tractor-trailers containing more than $700,000 worth of food. This, because the Commodity Credit Corporation program from the USDA had been placed under federal review.
Previous Coverage: Federal government cancels almost $1M in food shipments to Second Harvest Food Bank
WVLT News spoke with Second Harvest’s executive director, Elaine Streno, who said the news concerned the organization, adding “This is a crucial time for our community to step up.”
WVLT News also reached out to the USDA with questions about what East Tennesseans in need would see from the change. Among the questions we asked were “What does this federal review process look like?,” “What does the review’s timeline look like?” and “Have these shipments been cancelled or just paused?”
In response, a USDA spokesperson provided a statement over email. That statement is below, but it does not address what the review process looks like, the process’ timeline or specifics about what kind of affect East Tennessee food pantries might see.
“The Biden Administration inflated statutory programs with Commodity Credit Corporation dollars without any plans for long-term solutions, and even in 2024, used the pandemic as a reason to make funding announcements.
While the pandemic is over, USDA has not and will not lose focus on its core mission of strengthening food security, supporting agricultural markets, and ensuring access to nutritious foods. For example, last month, USDA released over half a billion in previously obligated funds for LFPA, LFPA for Tribes, and LFS to fulfill existing commitments and support ongoing local food purchases. Additionally, USDA recently announced $261 million in available fruits, vegetables, and tree nuts, made possible through Section 32 purchases. These foods go directly to food banks and other charitable organizations. States are eligible to receive products including tomatoes, grapes, pistachios, asparagus, apricots, strawberries, and peaches, among many others.
And while the Biden-era TEFAP windfall was terminated, the program continues to operate uninterrupted, with more than $166 million spent in recent months to connect families with food.
The Department will continue to use its procurement authority to support producers and consumers where appropriate, and with 16 nutrition programs under its purview, ensure families continue to have access to affordable and abundant food.”
This direct impact to Second Harvest comes after the food bank lost out on the possibility of future funding through a USDA program that helped Second Harvest buy food from local farmers.
Previous Coverage: ‘Farmers losing a customer’ | Federal cuts impacting East Tennessee farmers
Second Harvest had benefitted from the first year of the project’s funding, but the state missed out on year two. Now, Second Harvest won’t have the option for the future.
Those interested in supporting Second Harvest can do so here.
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