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By Natalie Venegas
Weekend Reporter
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Illinois has ended two food programs after President Donald Trump's administration has cut funding, the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) announced on Tuesday.
Newsweek has reached out to the IDOA and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) via email for comment.
Why It Matters
The Trump administration, under Elon Musk's cost-cutting Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), aims to reduce government costs and the federal workforce. In its first month of operation, it has restructured multiple federal agencies and recommended mass layoffs, sparking backlash and concern from Trump critics, as well as from some Republicans.
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Musk has called for sweeping cuts to federal government spending, claiming it should be reduced by up to $2 trillion annually. Supporters say this will boost efficiency and help tackle the national debt, while critics argue it will reduce access to government services.
What To Know
The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) announced Tuesday that cuts to federal funding has abruptly halted reimbursements for two food programs aimed at supporting local farmers and delivering fresh food to food banks.
The funding freeze affects the Local Food Purchase Assistance Program (LFPA) established by the USDA and the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program (RFSI).
The LFPA, which supports the Illinois-EATS initiative, uses federal dollars to buy fresh produce from farmers at fair market value. The food is then distributed to communities through food pantries and similar programs at no additional cost. The program prioritizes socially disadvantaged farmers, including those considered "new farmers" by federal standards.
Since its inception, the Illinois-EATS program has partnered with more than 170 farmers, delivering fresh produce to 883 locations statewide.
The USDA initially committed $43 million to Illinois for the program, but the state reports a shortfall of $17.8 million in expected reimbursements. The partnership between Illinois and the USDA was formalized in 2022, but the state now finds itself unable to continue the initiative without federal support.
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Meanwhile, the RFSI grant program aims to bolster food processing and distribution infrastructure for locally and regionally produced foods to offer better market opportunities to small and mid-sized agricultural producers.
The end of these two programs came after the IDOA revealed that the USDA informed states "without explanation" it would not cover any program costs incurred since Trump took office on January 20. The move leaves the state scrambling to cover a significant funding gap leading to the end of the programs.
In addition, this comes as the IDOA was in the process of selecting grantees for the RFSI program, which would have provided $6.4 million in grant funding to entities.
Meanwhile, this comes just a week after Governor JB Pritzker and the state's Democratic congressional delegation pressed the Trump administration for answers on $1.9 billion in withheld funds.
In a letter to the White House Office of Management and Budget, Pritzker and Illinois Democrats demanded an explanation for why state agencies, nonprofits, and businesses have not received funds.
What People Are Saying
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said in a statement on Tuesday: "Cutting funds for these programs is a slap in the face to Illinois farmers and the communities they feed. The Trump Administration's refusal to release grant funds doesn't just hurt farmers in the program, it devastates our most vulnerable, food-insecure communities relying on meat, fresh produce and other nutritious donations."
IDHS Secretary Dulce M. Quintero said in a statement on Tuesday: "Agriculture drives so much of the economy and innovation in Illinois - this loss in support for our farmers, especially those from communities that have historically been disinvested in, is a loss for everyone in our state. Access to nutrition is a human right, and I join our Governor and State leaders in calling on the federal government to do the right thing and help sustain our food system with the grant funding that had been established."
Brenda Stewart, a farm owner in Pembroke Township in Kankakee County, told Capitol News Illinois on Tuesday: "We're still going to grow our food, we're still going to provide what we can to our community, but not on the scale if they were able to receive. That program made the difference, and I would say to Elon Musk and President Trump, this is saving lives. This is teaching our babies how to eat fresh vegetables and how it helps their medical conditions."
Illinois Farm Bureau President Brian Duncan said in a statement, per Capitol News Illinois on Tuesday: "Illinois farmers' products – from grains and feed, corn, soybeans, ethanol, beef, pork, and more – rely on access to foreign markets and will undoubtedly be impacted by these new tariffs either through increased prices or decreased market access. This uncertainty coupled with an already struggling farm economy has farmers worried as we head into planting season."
What Happens Next
Democrats are set to speak out against Trump's federal firings and cuts during his joint address to Congress on Tuesday night.
The slashes to federal government spending are expected to continue and will need to expand substantially if Musk is to reduce expenditures by anything close to $2 trillion annually.
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