Shapiro sues USDA in response to termination of Local Food Purchasing Assistance Program

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) following its termination of the Local Food Purchasing Assistance (LFPA) Program.

According to a press release, this abrupt termination of the program cuts $13 million in federal funding over the next three years that would have supported 189 food banks and farms across the commonwealth supplying them with locally-grown food.

The release describes the termination of the program as "unlawful" and states that a three-year contract was signed in December of 2024 and canceled less than a year later with no explanation.

According to the release, the Shapiro administration had tried to appeal this termination by filing an administrative appeal, reaching out to USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins and even traveling to Washington, D.C. to meet with USDA leadership.

Despite these efforts, the program was still cut as of May 7 with Shapiro saying this left him no other choice but to sue.

"Pennsylvania farmers do the noble work of putting food on our tables and for the last three years, they've been paid to provide fresh local food to banks across our commonwealth as part of a successful federal initiative," Shapiro said.

"When the USDA abruptly terminated our agreement without cause, they ripped away a reliable source of income for 189 Pennsylvania farms and cut off funding that would have helped provide over 4.4 million meals to families across the commonwealth. That's not just bad policy. It's a broken promise," Shapiro continued.

Since 2022, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture has administered more than $28 million in federal LFPA funding helping food banks reduce waste, distribute local produce and strengthen the commonwealth's food system.

USDA declined to comment on the suit stating they could not comment on pending litigation.