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State Senators hear impacts of federal food & farm program cuts

Michigan food banks and farmers are warning state lawmakers about the impact federal nutrition funding and local food purchasing cuts are having across the state.

Michigan Department of Education Director for the Office of Nutrition Services Deanne Kelleher says the termination of federal local food purchasing programs has left a $30 million void, “For getting healthy, minimally processed foods into Michigan homes, schools and childcare centers, not to mention leaving our farmers without a network to sell their products to.”

Anna Almanza with the Food Bank Council of Michigan says cancellations to the USDA’s Emergency Food Assistance Program have made a difficult situation even worse.

“We are now paying $0.89 per can on the wholesale market, a 500 percent increase on the food we distribute every week,” she explains. “Add in proposed SNAP benefit cuts and the system isn’t just strained, but it’s now teetering on collapse.”

Michigan Association of Conservation Districts Executive Director Rivka Hodgkinson says funding cuts to USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service have also overwhelmed staff in the state. During a state Senate Committee meeting this week, she highlighted feedback from a technician who also farms.

“He said, ‘I work for a conservation district that has been around for over 80 years,’” she quoted. “‘I’ve been with them for over 18 years, and I have never seen a situation this desperate in terms of employees having to cover workloads for each other in our own office and helping neighboring county offices.’”

Witnesses expressed thanks for the Michigan Agricultural Surplus System, which purchases excess produce, protein, and dairy produced in the state, for filling some short-term needs, but say more support is needed if funding cuts continue.

Chair Sue Shink says more than 40 percent of the state budget is provided through federal dollars, and state programs could also be at risk depending on funding decisions by Congress.