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Colorado Gov. Jared Polis on Wednesday criticized the U.S. Division of Agriculture for eliminating greater than $13.1 million in funding for applications that assist Colorado colleges and meals banks purchase meals from native farmers.
“By slicing this funding, the Trump Administration is taking away wholesome meals from college youngsters and slashing contracts Colorado farmers rely on to assist their companies and staff,” Polis, a Democrat, stated in a press release. “As a substitute of serving to communities put meals on the desk, this determination pulls assets from colleges, meals banks, and Colorado households.”
Colorado Division of Training spokesperson Jeremy Meyer stated the division was notified by the USDA of the cancellation of a grant often known as Native Meals for Colleges. Politico reported earlier this week that the USDA ended the $660 million Native Meals for Colleges Cooperative Settlement Program together with an identical program that supported meals banks.
Colorado was set to obtain $5.9 million for college districts and $1.7 million for youngster care facilities by way of this system earlier than the funding was eradicated, Polis’ workplace stated in a press launch. The state was set to obtain $5.5 million for meals banks, the discharge stated.
The Colorado training division already distributed $2.6 million in federal funding by way of the Native Meals for Colleges program between September 2022 and February 2024, Meyer stated.
Whereas the division had “shared details about this funding alternative with college districts in January,” it had not but opened the applying course of for one more spherical of funding, Meyer stated. Not one of the earlier grantees will lose any cash, he stated.
The $2.6 million was distributed amongst 33 Colorado college districts and colleges, in line with a listing offered to Chalkbeat by the state training division. The grants ranged from $298 for the tiny 769-student Trinidad Faculty District #1 in southern Colorado to greater than $986,000 for the 27,000-student Boulder Valley Faculty District alongside Colorado’s Entrance Vary.
Colorado’s largest college district, 90,000-student Denver Public Colleges, acquired $106,000 by way of the Native Meals for Colleges program, in line with the listing. District spokesperson Scott Pribble stated Denver colleges spent the cash on native produce.
This story has been up to date with new funding figures from Gov. Jared Polis’ workplace.
Melanie Asmar is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Colorado. Contact Melanie at [email protected].
