Federal Cuts End Michigan Farmers' Partnership with Food Banks

MARSHALL, Mich. — Recent federal budget reductions have led to the termination of the "Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program," a crucial initiative that facilitated partnerships between Michigan farmers and food banks.

Without this essential funding, farmers are losing a significant portion of their income.

Food banks, in turn, can no longer procure locally sourced produce at reduced costs, according to Lori Sunie, director of development at South Michigan Food Bank.

Of The Land, a farm in Battle Creek, has been supplying tomatoes to feed Kalamazoo County for years through its collaboration with South Michigan Food Bank.

Annually, Of The Land provided the food bank with 30,000 pounds of tomatoes.

"It went from an ultimate feel-good for us of having a guaranteed source of income and knowing our food went to people who desperately needed fresh food, to now we don't have any income protection and plan," said Bridgett Blough, owner of Of The Land farm.

For Sunie, losing that partnership and produce has been tough.

"Having the farmers as a partner to us and us to them, we were able to sustain our food distribution," Sunie said. "To see it go away was really quite disheartening."

Since the program ended, South Michigan Food Bank has had to rely on contracted farmers to receive the food they need.

As for Blough, without their primary source of income, her husband has had to take a step back from tomatoes and find another way to stay afloat.

The Bloughs are investing their time and energy into a wedding venue they built, which is located on the farm.

"We had to find diversified income," Blough said. "We put a wood floor in it and made it like a greenhouse with beautiful flowers and food."

While Blough has discovered a new joy in the wedding industry, she's feeling disappointed that feeding her community is on the backburner for now.

"It makes me really sad that those poor people that are going to a food bank distribution will probably have way less access to fresh food," Blough said.

These federal cuts are part of a broader effort to reduce government spending, affecting various programs that support local agriculture and food security.

In Michigan, approximately $1.7 million in invoices have been held up due to these budget reductions, impacting over 500 farmers who participated in the program.

Food banks across the state are now facing challenges in sourcing fresh, local produce, which could lead to increased reliance on non-perishable items and a decrease in the nutritional quality of food distributed to those in need.

As the community grapples with these changes, both farmers and food banks are seeking alternative solutions to continue supporting local agriculture and providing fresh food to vulnerable populations.

However, the path forward remains uncertain without the reinstatement of federal support.