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The Trump administration’s 2025 cancellation of two federal programs that helped states and tribes purchase food from local farmers left Louisiana facing the loss of more than $18 million in farm sales, Verite News reports.
In response, Louisiana Food Policy Council leader Margee Green proposed a state-funded program called Farmers First, originally envisioning grants for farm infrastructure such as coolers, packing equipment and soil inputs that could help farmers expand and reach larger customers. The Legislature initially approved $3 million, but the funding was later divided among three organizations, leaving the Food Policy Council with $1 million.
The program then faced significant administrative obstacles. The state ultimately restricted the Food Policy Council’s funds to direct food purchases rather than infrastructure and required the small organization to front the money and seek reimbursement.
An IRS name-change requirement and shifting spending deadlines added further delays. The council ultimately purchased about $98,000 of shrimp and carrots from local farmers, using a $50,000 state advance and $24,000 of its own funds, before the state paused reimbursements.
The funding dispute strained relationships among farmers, food banks and other organizations that had previously worked together. It also raised questions about the $1 million awarded to Farm-Ed, a Florida-based agriculture education company whose CEO had political connections and whose company had made political contributions before receiving the appropriation.
