USDA ends pandemic-era food bank program INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Leaders of a south side Indianapolis food pantry on Thursday said they might have to stop offering some items after the U.S. Department of Agriculture ended a pandemic-era food bank program. Federal data show Indiana received $1 2.7 million through the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement program, or LFPA. Launched in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the program helped food banks buy from local farmers and producers. The USDA announced this week it is winding the program down along with the related Local Food for Schools program. WISHTV.com first reported this story earlier Thursday. The Hunger Inc. fundraising coordinator, Jo Ann Bush, said Thursday that food pantries like hers rely on a mix of donations from private individuals, donations, and discounted purchases from grocers and supplies from larger organizations such as Gleaners and Midwest Food Bank of Indiana. She said the end of the LFPA program means it will be harder for her to stock more expensive items such as canned meats and fruits, which she said are especially important for people facing food insecurity. “Protein is very important, especially for young children that are growing,” she said. “You need a variety and not always can we offer that if the funding is cut to our suppliers.” Bush said it’s too soon to say exactly how her pantry will be affected, but it cost $40,000 just to keep the shelves stocked last summer. “We’re probably going to be thinking about alternatives and what we can offer in the future should that impact be greater but it’s hard to judge at this point because we’re so early in the program. To offset some items so that we have items to offer, it will have us go into our budget, which we work on very limited dollars.” Food pantries like Bush’s did not receive direct support through LFPA. In Indiana, the money went to large hunger relief organizations, which used the money to buy local farm products and then supplied them to food pantries. Emily Bryant, the executive director of Feeding Indiana’s Hungry, the state affiliate for Feeding America, said buying from local farmers meant food banks could lower their shipping costs and support the local agriculture economy. Bryant said the end of LFPA will not affect the two primary programs through which the USDA supports food banks: the Emergency Food Assistance Program and the Commodity Supplemental Food Program. “I don’t expect there to be a significant bump for most of our members,” she said. “I don’t think that we’ll see a significant change in operations, but it makes it more difficult when we have those existing relationships through this program with local producers.” Bryant said the LFPA program was created through the USDA’s discretionary spending rather than federal law. She said she hopes to talk to federal lawmakers about creating a permanent program akin to that of LFPA. Bryant said Indiana food banks can spend down what’s left of the $12.7 million sum the state has received to date but won’t receive a planned third payment worth about $7 million. Anyone in need of food assistance can call or visit Indiana 211 or visit Community Compass, a website run jointly by the city of Indianapolis and the Indiana Department of Health. USDA officials said in a statement the program was never meant to be permanent. “As a pandemic-era program, LFPA will now be sunsetted at the end of the performance period, marking a return to long-term, fiscally responsible initiatives. This isn’t an abrupt shift—just last week, USDA released over half a billion in previously obligated funds for LFPA and LFS to fulfill existing commitments and support ongoing local food purchases. “With 16 robust nutrition programs in place, USDA remains focused on its core mission: strengthening food security, supporting agricultural markets, and ensuring access to nutritious food. Unlike the Biden Administration, which funneled billions in CCC funds into short-term programs with no plan for longevity, USDA is prioritizing stable, proven solutions that deliver lasting impact. The COVID era is over—USDA’s approach to nutrition programs will reflect that reality moving forward.” Spokesperson for U.S. Department of Agriculture Previous coverage Fresh Start Market offers produce prescriptions for chronic condition patients Effort sought volunteers to pack 1 million meals for Indiana’s hungry From “Life.Style.Live!”: Fighting Hunger One Meal at a Time: Make a Difference with Pack Away Hunger ...read more read less