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This story has been up to date with a press release from the U.S. Division of Agriculture.
The U.S. Division of Agriculture has canceled a $26.3 million federal grant that might have helped Illinois Ok-12 colleges and baby care facilities buy meals from native farmers for college meals and snacks, the Illinois State Board of Training stated Wednesday.
The federal authorities canceled funding for the Native Meals for Colleges and Baby Care Cooperative Settlement on March 7, the state board stated in a press launch. A termination letter from the USDA’s Agricultural Advertising Service obtained by Chalkbeat Chicago stated the division “decided this settlement not effectuates company priorities and that termination of the award is acceptable.”
The state board stated within the press launch that it signed an settlement with USDA for the grant on Jan. 30. The board stated the grant would have gone to over 4,000 colleges and 1,200 baby care facilities, with $17.8 million going to colleges and $8.5 million to baby care establishments over the subsequent three years.
A USDA spokesperson stated in a press release that the top of the Native Meals Buy Help Cooperative Settlement Program “isn’t an abrupt shift” and that final week, the division launched over a half a billion {dollars} for native fund buying applications.
“With 16 strong diet applications in place, USDA stays targeted on its core mission: strengthening meals safety, supporting agricultural markets, and making certain entry to nutritious meals,” stated the assertion.
The cancellation of funding for the Illinois meals program is a part of nationwide cuts by the U.S. Division of Agriculture. Politico reported that the USDA halted about $660 million of funding for the Native Meals for Colleges Cooperative Settlement, which helped native colleges across the nation buy recent meals from native farmers.
The Trump administration has terminated federal contracts and slashed staffing at federal places of work since taking workplace in January. In February, billionaire Elon Musk’s Division of Authorities Effectivity — which isn’t a federal company — terminated dozens of U.S. Division of Training contracts meant to assist training analysis. Just some days in the past, the Trump administration introduced that it’s reducing the U.S. Division of Training workforce by nearly half.
In Wednesday’s press launch, State Superintendent Tony Sanders known as the choice to chop the USDA grants “deeply disappointing.”
“These grants had been designed to make sure that college students in our colleges and baby care facilities have entry to recent, locally-sourced meals whereas additionally supporting our state’s agricultural financial system,” Sanders stated. “This funding was important to supply Illinois colleges and baby care websites with nutritious meals that gas studying and progress.”
Nonetheless, within the press launch, the state board stated its “Native Meals for Colleges” grant for $7.4 million continues to be out there to colleges via Jan. 31, 2026. In response to the state board, the grant has helped over 2,000 colleges to buy meals from 138 native farms and ranches.
Samantha Smylie is the state training reporter for Chalkbeat Chicago overlaying faculty districts throughout the state, laws, particular training and the state board of training. Contact Samantha at ssmylie@chalkbeat.org.