Maine food pantries are feeling the strain of the looming funding cuts President Donald Trump’s administration plans.
Groups such as Good Shepherd Food Bank say that cuts to the Agriculture Department will mean that more Mainers will go hungry.
Two programs from the USDA that go to help food insecure Mainers are being cut, including the Local Food Purchasing Assistance program.
“Most of our partners across the state are going to see a reduction in both the amount of fresh food from local Maine farms and the shelf stable pantry items that they rely on,” Robin McCarthy, chief advancement officer for the Good Shepherd Food Bank of Maine, said in a quote from CBS 13 news.
This program helps purchase locally grown food for pantries.
CBS 13 reports that Good Shepherd distributes federally funded food to about 600 pantries in the state.