Food Bank See Cuts In Funding That Helps Provide Food To The Area

The High Plains Food Bank has joined a statewide coalition to help reserve recent cuts to state food bank funding.

The Surplus Agricultural Products Grant, allows food banks to procure fresh produce from Texas farmers that would otherwise go to waste.

Zack Wilson, Food Bank Executive Director said “In a normal year, half of our produce comes from this grant, which is about half a million pounds per year. In addition, this grant covers the cost of shipping incurred from having produce brought up from South Texas. We would have to find other sources to cover that cost.”

The program is overseen by the Texas Department of Agriculture, which cut the program earlier this year on instructions from the Governor’s office to find savings.

In Texas, food insecurities have jumped from 13% to 29% since the start of Covid-19.