DOGE's Latest Victim: Children Who Rely On Free Food In School As USDA Cancels Local Food Purchasing

A decision by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is sparking concern, particularly among families who rely on free school meals.

The latest federal budget cuts, announced this week, have drawn fresh criticism, with the Trump administration now targeting school lunch programmes as part of its cost-cutting measures.

In a statement, the School Nutrition Association (SNA) warned that millions of children could lose access to free school meals following a £0.77 billion ($1 billion) reduction in the Department of Agriculture (USDA) budget.

Millions At Risk: School Meals Threatened

Per the statement, this translates to roughly £510.72 million ($660 million) being removed from programs that provide food to children in schools and childcare centres through the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program.

These funds were designated for buying nutritious, local, and regional foods from nearby farmers and ranchers for school meals. Support for these same farmers, intended for food banks and other organisations, has also been discontinued.

Local Farms, Empty Plates

'These proposals [come] . . . at a time when working families are struggling with rising food costs,' said Shannon Gleave, president of the SNA. 'Meanwhile, short-staffed school nutrition teams, striving to improve menus and expand scratch-cooking, would be saddled with time-consuming and costly paperwork created by new government inefficiencies.'

As reported by the SNA, a potential cut to the Community Eligibility Provision threatens to eliminate free meals for 12 million students in 24,000 schools across the country, all located in high-poverty areas.

This news adds to the burden on children, parents, and schools, who are already dealing with Trump's push to overhaul the Department of Education, an agency he has dismissed as a 'big con job.'

SNAP Cuts Loom

As The Guardian reported, Republicans are seeking to further reduce SNAP benefits for those with the lowest incomes, adding to the strain on American families dealing with higher food costs and greater reliance on food banks.

Speaking to Politico, a USDA representative stated that the funding for the affected programs will be terminated following a 60-day notification. The spokesperson said the programs were created by executive orders issued during Joe Biden's presidency and 'no longer effectuate the goals of the agency.'

The spokesperson also clarified that other existing agreements' still have substantial financial resources remaining [and] will continue to be in effect for the remainder of the period of performance.'

A Nation Divided On Food Security

Governor Maura Healey of Massachusetts strongly disapproved of the Trump White House's decision to cut programs, which resulted in a £9.29 million ($12 million) loss of food-related support for her state's schools and food banks.

In a press release, she said Trump and his spending-reduction adviser, Elon Musk, 'have declared that feeding children and supporting local farmers are no longer 'priorities', and it's just the latest terrible cut with a real impact on families across Massachusetts.'

'There is nothing 'appropriate' about it. Trump and Musk are continuing to withhold essential funding in violation of court orders, and our children, farmers and small businesses are bearing the brunt of it,' she added.

With millions of children at risk of losing access to essential meals, the urgency of this situation cannot be overstated. The coming weeks will be critical in determining how these communities will cope with losing vital support and what steps can be taken to mitigate the damage.