Farmers, Hunger Relief Orgs Call for Budget Passage at Critical Time for NC Families

More than 300 North Carolina farmers, faith leaders and hunger relief organizations including Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina are urging lawmakers to act on delayed funding that connects farms to food banks. 

In a letter to the North Carolina General Assembly, impacted growers and producers have joined community and faith-based charities to “highlight the vital nature of the longstanding, bipartisan partnership that provides food for families facing hunger while boosting revenue to local farms,” according to a release from the coalition on Wednesday. 

The letter, hand-delivered to legislators Tuesday by representatives of Feeding the Carolinas, sheds light on the unintended consequences of the state budget impasse, made worse by the ongoing federal government shutdown.

“Right now, more than 1.6 million people are struggling to keep food on the table in North Carolina. That’s one out of every seven neighbors across the state,” said Eric Aft, chair of Feeding the Carolinas, the state’s association of food banks, and CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC. “These funds are just as vital to local farms as they are to families facing hunger — and are becoming more and more important as the federal shutdown drags on. Our communities need this support.”

Reporting has shown that hunger in North Carolina is at its highest point in a generation after the Trump administration has cut $30 million in federal funding for food banks and schools across the state to purchase food from local farms. 

Now the $9.1-million allocation of state funding that allows food banks to purchase locally grown fruits, vegetables, dairy and meat has been held up while Republican infighting delays the passage of a state budget. 

On top of the cuts and the budget delay, the federal government shutdown has brought the issue to a boiling point, as the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), which helps pregnant mothers and young children access food, is at risk of running out in counties across North Carolina, including Mecklenburg. 

“Community leaders are raising the alarm that if lawmakers do not act soon, the state’s hunger relief system may reach a breaking point,” read Wednesday’s release. 

Tuesday’s letter notes that hunger has hit a near 20-year high in North Carolina and, as food prices remain out of reach for too many families, more than 1.6 million people across the state face food insecurity — including 438,000 kids and teens.

Folks working with the co-signing organizations say that many pantries, no-cost markets, meal sites and delivery programs are currently seeing more people in need of support than at the peak of the pandemic.

“Food banks are a critical market for North Carolina’s agriculture industry. More than 400 local farms and food hubs of all sizes sell products to hunger relief organizations,” the letter reads. “At a time when so many in the industry are dealing with the rising cost of fuel, feed, fertilizer, and labor, consistent and dependable revenue from food banks is critical.

“Without the General Assembly’s continued partnership on local food purchases, even less food will be available to help the growing number of families experiencing hunger — and many farms that were already struggling will have even less income,” it continues. “This means fewer jobs and lower wages in rural communities. Some farms may be forced to close altogether.” 

As reported by NC Newsline on Wednesday, state lawmakers have left Raleigh after passing through a controversial redistricting map while still at an impasse over the state budget. The stalemate is expected to last at least through mid-November. 

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A stopgap measure sent to Gov. Josh Stein’s desk before the NC Senate left for the month included $3 million for the Department of Agriculture to respond to avian flu but no funding for food purchasing.

Visit the Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina website to learn how you can help by donating or volunteering locally.