USDA cuts block 370,000 pounds of meat and produce from Idaho Food Banks

Idaho food banks lost out on 370,000 pounds of food shipments from May through September due to massive cuts to The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), according to USDA records obtained by ProPublica.

These canceled shipments, first detailed in a report by non-profit newspaper the Idaho Capital Sun, included meat, dairy, and fresh produce intended for distribution centers in North Idaho, Lewiston, Boise, and Pocatello. Local partners, including Community Action Partnership and El-Ada Community Action Partnership, lost planned deliveries of essential items like cheese, chicken, turkey, and pork.