US Farmers and Food Banks Hit by Funding Cuts

Farmers and food banks across the United States are grappling with significant challenges due to recent cuts in federal funding and new tariffs. In North Carolina, farmers like John Ashe are struggling with fluctuating crop prices and reduced USDA support, fearing tariffs will further impact international demand for crops like soybeans and tobacco. Food banks nationwide, including Second Harvest in Tennessee and Feeding Tampa Bay in Florida, face substantial reductions in USDA aid, leading to a scramble for alternative funding sources. The USDA's suspension of emergency food assistance programs has left Minnesota's food shelves and local agriculture in a precarious state, emphasizing the increased need for community support. In Alaska, Indigenous communities are reconsidering food security strategies after USDA staff and funding cuts disrupted essential local agriculture programs. The ripple effects of these federal cuts are being felt deeply in states like West Virginia and California, where small businesses and community services are struggling to adapt.