In a dramatic legal move with far-reaching implications for food access and agriculture, Pennsylvania has filed suit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture, accusing the federal agency of unlawfully slashing $13 million in food aid intended for local farmers and food-insecure communities.
The Wednesday complaint, filed in federal court, claims that the USDA’s abrupt termination of a Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) 2025 Cooperative Agreement with the state will have a “devastating effect” — not only gutting income for nearly 200 small farms, but also disrupting access to more than 4.4 million meals for hungry families.
Governor Josh Shapiro and Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding are leading the charge, asserting that the USDA’s decision not only violated its mission but also flouted legal procedure.
“A deal is a deal,” Shapiro said at a press conference. “When USDA pulled out without cause, they didn’t just break a promise — they pulled the rug out from under 189 farms and millions of struggling Pennsylvanians.”
