EVANSVILLE — The Tri-State Food Bank has been hit hard by recent cuts at the federal level that eliminated a grant that helped disadvantaged farmers and local communities.
The Tri-State Food Bank received a $1.1 million grant in 2024 through the United States Department of Agriculture Local Food Purchase Assistance program. It was the largest single grant in the food bank’s 42 years of operation, according to executive director Glenn Roberts.
With that grant, the Tri-State Food Bank has operated the Illinois Equitable Access Towards Sustainable Systems program as a lead agency since April. Ten local Southern Illinois farmers were paid market value for produce and protein items, which were then distributed through food pantries, soup kitchens and food box programs.
Now, that’s over. And the food bank is on the hook for about $64,000 that is still owed to farmers that the federal government appears to have no plans to reimburse.
Federal government backdates ending of program
Roberts said the food bank found out on March 4 that the program was ending, and at that time it was stated no invoices from after Jan. 19 would be reimbursed.
“We’re going to honor those invoices,” he said. “It’s not the farmers’ fault this happened.”
It was Roberts who called many of those farmers with the news after he was sent a news release from the Illinois Department of Agriculture. No direct notice from the federal government has been given at this point.
“The conversation was simply a press release,” he said. “The silence has been deafening.”
Roberts said it was “wonderful” working with the farmers. They were able to get their businesses of the ground through the grant.
“It was wrong for them to cut the program,” he said. “It was very wrong how they did it.”
What types of food did the program provide?
The products local farmers provided included everything from cabbage and bell peppers to whole turkeys and fresh eggs.
One of those farmers, Max Albritton, was a start-up pig farmer. The food bank featured a photo of him in its 2024 impact report, smiling as he made his first pallet delivery of pork. Just last month, Albritton’s story was featured by the University of Illinois Extension where he said he had a decision to make between going into debt to grow his farm or step away for good.
According to their story, Albritton chose to trust the grant program in working with the local food banks. He was able to pay back his loan within two months of starting.
He told the university extension that it was such a unique program, one he couldn’t find a downside in.
“The economy is stimulated. My family is being helped. People who need food are getting food,” he said. “It’s a win-win-win.”
That win-win-win situation won’t be happening now. The program is over after major success in its first nine months.
“This is the freshest, of fresh produce. Top-grade protein items,” Roberts said. “These are the items that food banks always need and never have enough of. Here it was coming in in abundance.”
Between April and December 2024, the food bank distributed 210,424 pounds of fresh food to 21 community organizations. While the main impact came in Illinois, Kentucky received 46,000 pounds of food and 13,000 pounds went to Indiana.
Produce and meat donations do come from grocery stores, but those items have been sitting on shelves long before they make it to the pantries.
“This program was working for us,” Roberts said. “And now it’s gone.”
Why is this program ending?
This cut comes as Trump’s administration and Elon Musk’s “Department of Government Efficiency” continue to slash departments and grants at the federal level.
In a statement to The Hill, the USDA said the grant “no longer effectuate the goals of the agency.”
Roberts said he heard it was on the chopping block because it focused on socially disadvantaged groups, and therefore it fell under the DEI umbrella.
Now, the food bank is hoping there is help to pay the potential $64,000 owed to farmers. The food banks overall budget is $5 million. That included the $1.1 million grant.
“We are praying someone comes forward, or a company comes forward and helps us,” Roberts said.
