DUQUESNE, PA — Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis and Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding convened local officials, farmers, and food bank leaders on Wednesday, April 2, to address the impact of the USDA’s cancellation of $13 million in funding for Pennsylvania’s Local Food Purchasing Assistance Program. The roundtable, held at the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, highlighted growing concerns about food insecurity and the challenges facing regional food systems and farmers.
The USDA’s abrupt decision threatens to strip Pennsylvania food banks of critical resources for purchasing fresh, locally grown produce. Three food banks in the Pittsburgh region alone stand to lose $2.5 million, equivalent to almost 3 million pounds of food and nearly 2.5 million meals. The Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank would see an 11% reduction in its food purchasing budget, while neighboring Westmoreland Food Bank would lose up to 18%.
“Investing in Pennsylvania farmers and helping them do what they do best – feed people – is an investment in our future,” said Lt. Governor Davis. “That’s why the Shapiro-Davis Administration has pushed for more investments to support agriculture, while supporting Pennsylvania families, students, and seniors. These are proven programs that work.”
Governor Josh Shapiro’s recently proposed budget aims to mitigate the loss of federal funding by increasing state support to food banks and regional farmers. His initiatives include a $4 million boost each to the Pennsylvania Agricultural Surplus System and the State Food Purchase Program, bringing the programs’ combined funding to $34.6 million. Shapiro’s administration is also advocating for broader measures to reduce food insecurity, including raising the minimum wage and reducing living costs for Pennsylvanians.
During the roundtable, food bank leaders underscored the urgency of these measures. “Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank is seeing record numbers of people seeking food assistance, including many working families who are reaching out for the first time,” said Food Bank President and CEO Lisa Scales. “The proposed increase of $8 million in the state budget will go a long way toward helping us provide much-needed food into the community.”
The Local Food Purchasing Assistance Program funds had been earmarked for 189 Pennsylvania farms, helping ensure that food banks could provide fresh, nutritious food while supporting local agriculture. Pennsylvania remains one of the few states that exclusively uses these federal funds to sustain in-state farmers.
Agriculture Secretary Redding warned of the challenges ahead. “We simply can’t afford to turn back time and undermine the progress we have made together for Pennsylvania families and farms,” Redding said, emphasizing the bipartisan success of state programs that connect local farmers with families in need.
With more than one in eight Pennsylvanians facing food insecurity, the stakes remain high. “Pennsylvanians cannot afford the personal and community-level risk of more people going hungry,” said Human Services Deputy Secretary Hoa Pham.
Pennsylvania’s agricultural sector is a key driver of the state’s economy, generating $132.5 billion annually and supporting 600,000 jobs. Governor Shapiro’s economic strategy seeks to place agriculture at the forefront of the Commonwealth’s growth, bolstered by programs like those discussed at the roundtable.
The Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank plays a pivotal role, distributing 48 million meals a year in southwestern Pennsylvania through an extensive network of partnerships and programs. This crucial infrastructure, alongside Pennsylvania’s farmers, stands as a bulwark against the growing threat of hunger in the state.
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