You may have seen a news article by now that the USDA is discontinuing support for purchasing from local producers. The Local Food Purchasing  Assistance program (LFPA) has supported our Friends of the Farm Program, which allows us to purchase Arizona-grown produce, dairy, eggs, and meat at fair market prices and get those products to low-income families through the state’s emergency food bank network.

Friends of the Farm launched in 2020 with state resources, and has grown considerably with LFPA. In 2024, the program worked with 111 producers from across the state to get produce and protein to Arizonans in need across all 15 counties. 

Our LFPA funding is secure until March 1, 2026, so the Friends of the Farm program at AzFBN will continue until then with LFPA funds, and after that with the state funds that are appropriated annually for the program.

We understand that priorities change under different Administrations, but supporting small farmers and ending hunger is a nonpartisan issue. We’re grateful that the USDA will honor the commitments already made – these funds have started to transform the local food system and have offered food bank clients a unique variety of foods. 

While we’re disappointed to see the next phase of LFPA funding terminated, we hope there’s a path forward for the program, or something similar, during Farm Bill discussions.