Gov. Josh Shapiro, flanked by state lawmakers, walks with Destiny Dairy Bar owner Amy Brickner on her farm in Carlisle.
Jaxon White / LNP | LancasterOnline
Gov. Shapiro, lawmakers push USDA to restore $13M food purchasing program agreement
By Jaxon White/LNP | LancasterOnline
Jaxon White / LNP | LancasterOnline
Gov. Josh Shapiro, flanked by state lawmakers, walks with Destiny Dairy Bar owner Amy Brickner on her farm in Carlisle.
After walking through the pig and goat stalls at Destiny Dairy Bar on Monday, Gov. Josh Shapiro and Agriculture Committee lawmakers renewed their criticisms of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s cancellation of federal funding toward a program that pays farmers who sell products to food banks.
Shapiro sued the USDA last month, attempting to secure the $13 million in canceled Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program funds the federal agency — under President Joe Biden — had agreed to provide Pennsylvania this year. Shapiro said Monday that there was no update on his lawsuit.
Destiny Dairy Bar owner Amy Brickner said about 10% of her market went toward the food purchasing program in the past years she received funding.
Her business was among the 189 farms that have benefited from the program, which has provided nearly 30 million pounds of locally sourced food to more than 6.1 million households in Pennsylvania, according to the Shapiro administration.
Shapiro and Brickner were joined by Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding and a slate of bipartisan lawmakers who lead the House and Senate Agriculture Committees: Reps. Eddie Day Pashinski (D-Luzerne County) and Dan Moul (R-Adams), as well as Sens. Elder Vogel (R-Beaver) and Judy Schwank (D-Berks).
The four legislators sent a letter in June to members of Congress asking them to urge the USDA to restore the funding or allocate money directly through the federal budget.
“Now more than ever, collaboration across all levels of government is essential. Our farmers, food producers, and vulnerable families deserve a coordinated response that safeguards the stability, resilience, and continued growth of Pennsylvania agriculture — our Commonwealth’s leading industry,” they wrote.
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