USDA cancels food bank deliveries nationwide; local providers respond

MILWAUKEE - Hunger Task Force on Tuesday said the U.S. Department of Agriculture has canceled deliveries to food banks nationwide. 

Hunger Task Force

What they're saying:

CEO Matt King said in a statement that, for Hunger Task Force, specifically, the cancelations of five full truckloads represents more than 302,000 pounds of food valued at $615,000 – a little more than 25% of the state's canceled total. 

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"These cuts are coming at a very challenging time," he said. "One of the big challenges is that they are making these big cuts and cancelation without much advance notice."

According to Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin, the USDA canceled its "Commodity Credit Corporation" – which affected the planned deliveries. The items that were canceled for delivery include meat, milk, cheese and eggs. 

King said Hunger Task Force will still have enough inventory to keep children, families and seniors fed through its emergency food network, but the cancelation comes at a time of increased need. King said, over the past year, visits to local food pantries increased by more than 30%.

"It's an issue that not only affects food pantries and food banks around the country, but the growers and producers that supply these programs," said King.

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Across all programs, King said Hunger Task Force currently serves more than 50,000 people per month.

"I'm actually scared. I'm scared for us that's on disability, us that live check to check," said Alicia Williams.

Full statement from Hunger Task Force CEO Matt King:

"We recently learned the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has cancelled deliveries to food banks nationwide. These deliveries purchase food from American farmers and ranchers and send it to emergency food providers. These cancelled deliveries will impact Hunger Task Force and the state of Wisconsin. Orders were scheduled from June – September and total $2.2 million dollars’ worth of healthy foods for the entire state of Wisconsin. Items that have been canceled include animal proteins, milk, cheese and eggs.  For Hunger Task Force specifically, this means the cancellation of five full truckloads of canned chicken, cheese, milk and eggs and eight partial truckloads of turkey breast, chicken legs, pulled pork and pork chops. This represents over 302,000 pounds of food valued at $615,000, which is a little more than 25% of the state’s canceled total. With the cancelation of these food deliveries, Hunger Task Force will still have enough inventory to keep children, families and seniors fed through our emergency food network. However, this comes at a time of increasing need in our community, when local families and seniors are struggling to make ends meet amidst the high cost of living. Over the past year visits to local food pantries have increased by over 30%. Across all our programs we are currently serving over 50,000 people a month."

Statement from Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin CEO Patti Habeck:

"We are deeply concerned about the impact this will have on our community, especially those already facing food insecurity. We are looking at every possible avenue to replace these lost resources and ensure that those who depend on our network still have access to the nutritious food they need."

USDA cuts

The other side:

FOX6 News reached out to the U.S. Department of Agriculture for comment on this story. A spokesperson issued the following statement on Wednesday morning: 

"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. As of today, Wisconsin is one of more than two dozen States to ask for—and receive—a no-cost extension of this program. Plainly, WI received a lot of money and needs time to spend it.

"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. Wisconsin is eligible for more than $3.8 million in products including tomatoes, grapes, pistachios, asparagus, apricots, strawberries, and peaches, among many others.  

 "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."