PITTSBURGH — Governor Josh Shapiro is appealing the USDA’s decision to cancel $13 million in funding for the Local Food Purchasing Assistance Program. The program would help 189 Pennsylvania farms over the next three years.
Lt. Governor Austin Davis led a roundtable discussion on Wednesday at the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank to discuss food insecurity in the state, as well as the funding appeal. State and local leaders say that without those funds, the farmers as well as food pantries would be in trouble.
“We absolutely need the federal government, there is no world where we can absorb the cuts that the federal government is talking about and I think we all need to be very real and clear about it,” Davis said.
The Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA) provides funding for states to purchase local food to help support farmers and feed Pennsylvanian families.
According to Feeding Pennsylvania, a partner of Feeding America, 27.2 million pounds of food have been purchased from PA farmers via LFPA, $23.6 million invested from LFPA into the state’s food and agricultural economy and 22.6 million meals provided to families in need.
Last week, Shapiro asked the State Secretary of Agriculture, Russell Redding, to appeal that decision.
“The governor took the bold step to appeal, that appeal is pending, we are hopeful, that in recognition of the growing needs you heard about today of food insecurity, they will recognize that partnership is important to them and to each of us,” Redding said.
“Our partnership with the foodbank is amazing. It is definitely what keeps us operating. You could throw a rock at anything in here and it probably came from them,” said Ariel Ellington, the food pantry coordinator at the East End Cooperative Ministry.
Their food pantry is one of the largest in Pittsburgh and offers groceries five days a week. Ariel said they’re seeing an increase in new faces, as well as families coming in multiple days a week.
“Everyone’s being hit pretty hard by inflation and grocery prices. We are seeing a lot of new faces, we are seeing people come in more often,” Ellington said. “We have seen a greater uptick in our numbers, unfortunately, but fortunately, we are here to help them! There’s always fear, always challenges. We are fortunate to be in such a strong and tight-knit community. I think we always find a way to pull through... so we are very fortunate just to be in Pittsburgh.”
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