USDA cuts more than $1bn in local food purchases for schools, food banks

Millions of children could lose free school meals as food costs rise, warns School Nutrition Association president

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has slashed two programs that provided more than $1bn for schools and food banks to purchase food from local farms and ranchers.

About $660m of those funds were contained in the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program, which provided funds to schools and child care facilities but is now being eliminated.