The Mid-Ohio Food Collective was expecting 24 truckloads of food from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to distribute to food pantries this year. Now that's not happening because of USDA cuts.
The collective expected close to 700,000 pounds of food to begin arriving in May. The food was mostly eggs, dairy and meat products, worth close to $1.5 million.
Mid-Ohio Food Collective spokesman Mike Hochron said the food was ordered months ago. In February, food collective officials learned those orders could be stripped.
Hochron said that to lose the deliveries is another blow when demand continues to rise.
He said the food collective can't make up the loss from anywhere else.
Hochron said there was no time to adjust or plan for the cut. "It's not going to be good for the communities and the families we serve," he said.
The Mid-Ohio Food Collective distributes food to pantries across 20 counties.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture in several states.
Those truckloads of food were paid for with $500 million that had been set aside through an emergency assistance program for the 2025 fiscal year.
