Bucks County’s opportunity council reacts to food pantry federals
Residents have wells tested after leakage of gas pipeline in the Make Upper field
Melissa Tenzer talks about the need for a well test, which was carried out by the Sunoco Ges company, in its Upper Makefield district.
- The Bucks County Opportunity Council will lose more than $ 260,000 in annual financing used to buy food from farmers and local sellers.
- The USDA local food purchasing cooperative for cooperative cooperative program, designed to support local farmers and improve the resilience of the food supply chain, is being reduced.
- Food insecurity increases in the county of Bucks, a recent report indicating a significant increase in the percentage of food instance between 2021 and 2022.
Dollars’ $ 1 billion reduction plans could reach tens of thousands of Bucks County residents with food insecurity each year.
States learned earlier this month that the United States Ministry of Agriculture reduces funds for two cooperative agreements to help schools and local food banks to buy locally cultivated food from farmers.
An agreement, the local program of the food assistance cooperation agreement, was used by the Opportunity County Bucks County Council to buy $ 800,000 in food in the last three years for its 75 pantry and fresh producer markets Connect in the canton of Bristol, Nockamixon, Quakertown and Warminster.
“What it does for us is that it allows us to buy fresh food – nutritious foods – local farmers and other food sellers so that we can offer healthier options to community,” said Erin Lukoss, director of the Council on Wednesday. “Without that, we will have to reduce.”
Lukoss said that funding had bought around 400,000 pounds of food in 2024, which is equivalent to around 510,000 meals.
Cups are the last people in a long list of expenses and job programs to run from the federal government, cups presented by President Donald Trump and the government’s Ministry of Elon Musk’s Billionaire Entrepreneur.
Lukoss said it was too early to find out what the end of the program will mean for BCOC, the first anti-permanent organization of Bucks County and the 56,570 residents of Bucks County who live with food insecurity.
“There is not really a way to win $ 260,000 per year without a serious intention of how we collect on this,” said Lukoss. “I don’t know if there is a way for us to really invent this.”
Lukoss added that cuts are a loss of twice in the region, both for people who need access to affordable meals and for farmers and sellers whose council and other groups buy.
What is the Federal Bank Federal Program?
The cooperation agreement program provides federal dollars to the governments of states, tribes and territorial to buy food from sellers such as farms within 400 miles of the food destination, according to the USDA website.
Authorized by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, the objective was to “improve the resilience of the supply chain of food and agricultural” by distributing nutrients and local origin through food and pantry.
At the end of 2024, food bought with these funds went to more than 7,900 food banks, pantry and communities in the United States, the agency said.
Food insecurity in Bucks County
The cuts occur at a time when food insecurity is increasing in the county of Bucks.
Certain pantry in the region have seen the participation increase considerably in recent years, because inflation has put the cost of the grocery store out of reach for some.
A recent report of non -profit children FIRST PA estimated that the percentage of food registration families in the county of Bucks increased from 5% to 9% between 2021 and 2022, the first increase in its kind since 2017.
This report has also revealed that, despite most adults who work in the county, earning more in the last decade, inflation has erased the purchasing power won over the past 10 years.
Lukoss said Wednesday that wages were not following the cost of living, “increasing the volume” of people in need.
“I think the volume continues to increase because the cost of living continues to increase,” said Lukoss. “The cost of the accommodation has just soaked and the income did not follow the pace of the accommodation … Where do you find money in your budget?
“Often, it’s the food budget.”
Chris Ulery is the Bucks County County Times Data journalist and intelligen in Phillybourbs.com and can be contacted at cuclery@couriertimes.com. Please consider supporting local journalism with a subscription.
