USDA cuts to local food programs could impact Tulare County nonprofits

TULARE COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- The USDA and Trump administration's $1 cardinal successful cuts to nutrient programs are threatening section facilities, including Foodlink of Tulare County.

Executive director, Andrea Kelly says- they are facing cuts of astir $100,000

"That's 12 afloat truckloads, semi truckloads afloat of food, right? You know, astir a cardinal pounds of nutrient volition not spell retired to Tulare County residents if those orders are not brought backmost up," says Andrea.

They are already feeling the impact.

"We are putting little nutrient successful boxes, sending little nutrient to pantries," explains Andrea.

She continues, "So we're gonna person to chopped backmost connected different things, excessively due to the fact that again, it pays our airy bill. It pays the h2o bill."

In a statement, the USDA says determination is nary longer a request for these pandemic-era programs.

Saying successful part, quote:

"USDA remains focused connected its halfway mission: strengthening nutrient security, supporting cultivation markets, and ensuring entree to nutritious food. Unlike the Biden Administration, which funneled billions successful CCC funds into short-term programs with nary program for longevity, USDA is prioritizing stable, proven solutions that present lasting impact."

The cuts volition besides interaction section farmers, who were successful contracts with section nutrient banks to proviso fruits and vegetables.

"The thought of having these programs successful trimming the fat, determination is not overmuch abdominous to beryllium trimmed. It's already lean," mentions fourth-generation husbandman astatine Blossom Bluff Orchards, Bryce Loewen.

For Foodlink 1 of their biggest concerns is locals who are already struggling to marque ends meet.

"Cutting those information nett resources is gonna permission a batch of radical successful a precise hopeless position," says Andrea.

"People are gonna beryllium truly making hard decisions of what they're going to wage for and what they're not going to wage for," Andrea mentions.

The cuts volition spell beyond Tulare County, arsenic the Central California Food Bank retired of Fresno- besides helps provender implicit 300 1000 people.

A 3rd of them are children.

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