Speaking in Philadelphia on Wednesday, Gov. Josh Shapiro announced that his Administration has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for unlawfully terminating Pennsylvania’s Local Food Purchasing Assistance (LFPA) Program agreement — a $13 million commitment that directly supports 189 Pennsylvania farms and supplies 14 food banks with fresh, locally grown food.

Flanked by Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding, Shapiro reaffirmed his Administration’s commitment to defending Pennsylvania’s agricultural producers and ensuring continued access to healthy food for families in need.

“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 food banks across our Commonwealth as part of a successful federal initiative,” said Shapiro. “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. A deal is a deal, and I’ve taken legal action today to ensure the federal government honors its commitment to Pennsylvania.”

Shapiro and Redding tried to appeal the USDA’s unlawful termination of the LFPA25 agreement, filing an administrative appeal through the USDA, reaching out to USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, and even traveling to Washington, D.C. to meet with USDA leadership. Despite those efforts, the USDA ignored Pennsylvania’s requests to support farmers across the Commonwealth — leaving the Administration with little choice but to sue.

Rollins appeared in central Pennsylvania on April 14 and toured multiple farms. While speaking with reporters, she appeared to take issue with the statement from Shapiro’s administration that the USDA was canceling $13 million over the next three years in funding for that program, claiming they “don’t have their facts right, or they’re playing games.”

“Whether it’s LFPA or SNAP, or Medicaid, or any of the other things the federal government is cutting right now to make it harder for poor folks to get health care or get fed, we do not have the ability to backfill that in the state,” said Shapiro. “The federal government in Washington wants to cut funding for our farmers or for hungry folks, or for poor folks who are working, who need desperately to have health care for them or their disabled child, we don’t have the ability to backfill it. It’s on them.

“Those are the decisions they’re making in Washington, D.C. right now. I hope that this is a wake up call to our senators and our congressmen that they got to stand up for the people of Pennsylvania as opposed to tearing away the vital support that they have, that they’ve come to rely on, and that they so desperately need? Because the state will not be there to backfill it.”

“The USDA’s decision was not just unexpected — it was unlawful, and it has already caused serious harm to Pennsylvania’s agriculture industry,” said Redding. “This is about real people — the farmers, producers, and rural communities who are now facing uncertainty as a result. These are hardworking men and women who put food on our tables, support local economies, and preserve our farmland for future generations. Governor Shapiro is fighting for our farmers because the stakes are far too high.”

“Thanks to LFPA, we’ve grown our giving program from 8,000 pounds in 2017 to over 26,000 pounds in 2024,” said Julie McCabe, Executive Director of Pennypack Farm & Education Center. “In some food pantries, we’re the only source of fresh produce. These programs don’t just feed people — they connect people. Governor Shapiro’s support means everything.”

Pennsylvania is one of the only states in the country that uses LFPA funding exclusively to support in-state farmers — ensuring every federal dollar stays local and directly supports Pennsylvania’s agricultural economy.

“Since 1986, our mission has been to feed the region’s most vulnerable families — and today, we’re serving nearly one million people each month, with more than half of them children,” said George Matysik, Executive Director of Share Food Program. “At a time when demand at our food bank has risen 120 percent in just three years, losing LFPA hurts real people — and breaks a promise that should have been kept.”