Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro (D) filed a lawsuit on May 4 against the U.S. Department of Agriculture, accusing the agency of unlawfully terminating a $13 million federal program that helped local farms provide food to food banks across the state.
The program, known as the Local Food Purchasing Assistance (LFPA) Program, was intended to fund Pennsylvania’s local food system through 2027. It supported 189 farms and supplied fresh food to 14 food banks, including the Share Food Program in Philadelphia, where Shapiro announced the legal action Wednesday.
Governor Shapiro said in a statement that the action was being taken because “a deal is a deal” and the federal government should “honor its commitment to Pennsylvania.” He added that the move from the USDA is “not just bad policy,” but “a broken promise” to the state….