Representative Sharice Davids visited the Kansas City Food Hub and Westridge Middle School to hear directly from Kansas producers and school officials about the impact of recent cuts to local food programs. The visit is part of her ongoing Farm Bill Listening Tour to gather feedback ahead of Farm Bill negotiations.

Earlier this year, the Trump administration ended two U.S. Department of Agriculture programs: Local Food for Schools (LFS) and the Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) program. These programs helped schools and food banks buy fresh, healthy food from local farmers—supporting both student nutrition and regional economies.

In Kansas, nearly $4.7 million from LFPA allowed food banks to purchase local fruits, vegetables, meat, cheese, and honey from 95 approved farmers and ranchers. These products reached 433 food pantries across 199 cities and 101 counties. LFS provided $1.7 million to help 216 school districts and private schools buy locally raised meat.

With the loss of these programs, Kansas schools and producers are now scrambling for alternatives. Last month, Davids called on USDA Secretary Rollins to reverse the cuts and protect access to local food for students and families.