Across Louisiana, farmers, ranchers, and producers work every day to grow the food that feeds our communities and our country. Agriculture is more than a major industry in Louisiana. It is a foundation of our rural economy and a vital part of how families across America are fed.
Today, that system is under strain. Farmers are facing rising input costs, market volatility, and supply chain uncertainty. At the same time, many Louisiana families are still struggling to keep up with the cost of groceries and other essentials.
There is a practical, proven way to support both: keep U.S.-grown food moving from farms to families.
That is exactly what The Emergency Food Assistance Program, better known as TEFAP, is intended to do. Through TEFAP, the U.S. Department of Agriculture purchases food grown and produced in the United States and distributes it through food banks and local pantries. It is a smart investment that supports American agriculture while helping families, seniors, and children access nutritious food in their own communities.
This partnership matters. It creates reliable markets for farmers and producers. It also strengthens rural economies by supporting the processors, truckers, warehouse operators, equipment suppliers, and local businesses connected to agriculture. When agriculture is strong, the impact reaches far beyond the farm.
But recent declines in federal food purchases are putting pressure on this system. Feeding Louisiana, the association of the state’s five regional food banks, has seen firsthand what happens when government food supplies shrink. Food banks across the country are receiving less food through federal programs at a time when the need for assistance remains high.
When that happens, food banks must buy more food on the open market to help fill the gap. And just like Louisiana families shopping at the grocery store, food banks are paying more. Every dollar buys less food than it once did. That means fewer resources stretch across more need.
Louisiana’s five regional food banks have the infrastructure and experience to move food quickly and efficiently. Together, they serve all 64 parishes through pantry partners, direct distributions, mobile pantries, and programs focused on seniors, children, and working families. Feeding Louisiana helps support and coordinate that statewide network. When USDA food is available, that network can move it where it is needed most.
Congress should take two clear steps.
First, lawmakers should include $450 million in USDA food purchases in any farm aid package. This one-time investment would help move more American-grown food into communities quickly while giving farmers and producers additional market opportunities during a time of uncertainty.
Second, Congress should strengthen TEFAP for the long term in the next farm bill by increasing its commodity purchasing authority by $500 million per year. That would allow USDA to purchase more U.S.-grown food and distribute it through food banks nationwide.
This is not a complicated idea. It is common sense. Food grown in the United States should help feed people in the United States. Programs like TEFAP make that possible while supporting farmers, rural communities, and families facing hunger.
At a time when both farmers and families are under pressure, Congress should invest in what works. Keep U.S.-grown food moving from farms to families.
Pat R. Van Burkleo, Executive Director