Aid to farmers could burden food banks without funding for distribution

As part of the Trump administration’s trade aid package to farmers, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is buying up to $1.2 billion of domestic food items as a way to help U.S. food producers weather the impacts of trade retaliation.

Once purchased, that food will be distributed through nearly 200 Feeding America food banks across the country, including the Kentucky Association of Food Banks, which includes Lexington-based God’s Pantry Food Bank. KAFB members feed one in seven Kentuckians each year.

We are truly grateful for this increased supply of food to distribute to our neighbors at risk of hunger. It will go a long way to help us meet our goal of ensuring that no Kentuckian goes to bed hungry.

However, while this unexpected influx of nutritious food will help low-income families across the Bluegrass State, it also presents a significant challenge for food banks that are already stretched thin. Without additional federal support, this blessing could quickly become a burden.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s trade buy-back program is already estimated to cost food banks up to $200 million more to distribute food into communities across the nation. This is a cost that we simply cannot absorb.

We need the support of Congress and USDA to provide additional funding to offset the costs of distributing higher volumes of fresh produce, meat and dairy that are set to come through food bank doors in the coming months as a result of the trade mitigation.

Last year our member food banks served the equivalent of 64 million meals across the commonwealth in partnership with 800 local agencies such as food pantries and soup kitchens. The logistics behind getting this food from stock, to shelves, to local partners, and ultimately to hungry Kentucky residents is a major undertaking. It’s also expensive. Even with the generous help of donors and community partners, our members struggle to fund the costs of storing and distributing the food hungry families depend on.

Further, this funding challenge may limit the type of products food banks are able to accept. Refrigerated products that easily expire, like meat and dairy, are difficult to quickly distribute to families in need.

Local food pantries served by larger food banks often have very limited cold storage and transportation capacity. As a result, food banks are required to store perishable products longer and make extra “just in time” deliveries. The additional trips and storage cost money.

With the help of leaders in Congress like Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Congressman James Comer, this problem can be promptly addressed. As we head into the holiday season, we look forward to Congress ensuring the full benefit of the USDA trade mitigation program is felt by hungry families in Kentucky.