County asked to protest; USDA ends program supplying 15% of all food distributed by Food for Lane County

Presenter: Lane County is asked to pass a resolution protesting the loss of 1.2 million pounds of food. That’s 15% of all the food that Food for Lane County hoped to distribute in the coming year. During public comment to county commissioners May 13, Mark Thompson:

Mark Thompson: I’m here as a private citizen today, and I’m speaking just for myself, not for Food For Lane County. I volunteer as a Meals on Wheels driver, and I just received a letter from Food for Lane County which runs this and many other food programs here in the county. Copies of the letter have been distributed.

[00:00:34] The letter says, in part: ‘The U.S. Department of Agriculture has canceled the Commodity Credit Corporation‘s food purchasing program which supplies Food for Lane County with about 15% of the food we provide to people in our county.

[00:00:49] This is a staggering decrease of over 1.2 million pounds of food that we plan to distribute here in Lane County over the next year.

[00:00:58] The cancellation of this important program is striking when need in our community is at an all-time high. Our pantry partners are reporting a 101% increase in visitors needing food since 2022.’

[00:01:14] I can say with first-hand experience that our citizens need this food. These cuts will hurt our citizens who are most in need. In addition, it will hurt local farmers who provide this food. Lane County has a large agricultural economy that deserves our support.

[00:01:32] I believe that the Commission can help the situation by passing a resolution, a sense of the county, if you will, that urges the Department to reverse its decision. And I urge the Council to make other governments in Oregon and elsewhere aware of its stance on this issue. Thank you.

[00:01:49] Presenter: Lane County commissioners are asked to support our agricultural economy and our neighbors who rely on Food for Lane County.

This story produced by John Q for Whole Community News, reporting on neighborhoods and nonprofits for KEPW 97.3, Eugene’s PeaceWorks community radio.