Wisconsin Farmers Lose Crucial Support as Trump Administration Ends Food Pantry Program

The Trump administration recently announced the termination of the Wisconsin Local Food Purchase Assistance Program, a U.S. Department of Agriculture initiative designed to support farmers while supplying fresh food to food pantries and schools statewide. The cancellation, effective March 7, comes despite the program’s proven success in addressing food insecurity and supporting local agriculture.

The Wisconsin Local Food Purchase Assistance Program, part of a nationwide effort, had connected nearly 300 Wisconsin farms to more than 250 food pantries and schools, providing approximately $4.2 million worth of locally grown produce and other fresh foods during the 2023 – 2024 growing season alone.

Kristy Allen, owner of The Beez Kneez in Burnett County, is among the farmers directly impacted. Over the past two years, Allen delivered roughly 3,000 pounds of honey to the St. Croix Valley Food Bank, a contribution made possible through the financial support of the program. Allen received $25,000 during her first year of participation and $15,000 in the second year, allowing her to hire a part-time employee to help with the physically demanding tasks of beekeeping. Without the USDA’s support, Allen doubts she can continue that employment.

“This idea that there’s waste, fraud, and abuse – there was no evidence of that,” Allen said, referencing President Trump’s broader efforts to drastically reduce the federal government’s reach. “Having a dependable market that supports a healthy society seems like a no-brainer to me.”

Allen emphasized that the program’s benefits extended beyond financial security. Receiving heartfelt notes from recipients of her honey added personal gratification, making the abrupt cancellation particularly disappointing.

Jackie Anderson, executive director of Feeding Wisconsin, shared similar frustrations, noting that food banks and pantries are already experiencing a “significantly increased” demand for services. Feeding America reports that more than 617,000 residents in Wisconsin currently face food insecurity. For organizations like the food pantry at Stepping Stones of Dunn County, losing access to the fresh produce and meats from this program will dramatically reduce their ability to serve clients nutritious foods. Angie Wolf, manager of the Stepping Stones pantry, highlighted that the program allowed her pantry to distribute about 50,000 pounds of fresh produce, including apples, lettuce, corn, radishes, beets, and fresh beef and pork – essential contributions in a county where more than 11% of residents rely on the pantry’s services.

“To build this program up and then take it away has been pretty devastating,” Wolf said. If the pantry continues purchasing fresh food from local farmers without the program, it will be on a significantly smaller scale due to cost.

Farmers participating in the initiative were also using the program to develop their business models and expand their markets. Tenzin Botsford, owner of Red Door Family Farm in Athens, Wisconsin, had used the funds to scale up production and provide culturally significant vegetables such as peppers, tomatoes, cilantro, and carrots to the United Way of Marathon County’s Hunger Coalition, supporting local Hmong and Hispanic populations. Botsford had already purchased seeds and started planting for the upcoming season when he received news of the termination, leaving his future uncertain and significantly impacting his projected income.

Nearly 40% of producers funded through the program last year were Black, Indigenous, or other farmers of color, more than half were new or beginning farmers, and approximately 42% were women owned farms. The program’s intentional focus on historically marginalized groups was meant to level the playing field in agriculture – a sector still predominantly white and male.

In response to the program’s abrupt termination, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers criticized the Trump administration, accusing them of “turning their backs on America’s Dairyland and betraying our farmers.”

Although USDA officials stated that existing contracts under the program could be completed, no new funds or renewals will be issued. Botsford expressed his frustration and disappointment, saying, “It’s unconscionable to me to drop the ball that hard for people who are living on such thin margins. It breaks my heart and really makes me wonder how much pain is going to end up being caused by trying to do politics this way.”