Indigenous food producer hopes Farm Bill will restore programs

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Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. scale back / skeɪl bæk / (phrasal v.) – to reduce something in amount, size, or production
    Example:

    We need to scale back our spending this month.


  2. indigenous / ɪnˈdɪdʒ ə nəs / (adj.) – (of people) living or existing naturally in a particular region
    Example:

    The museum has a special exhibition on the indigenous people of the island.


  3. tribe / traɪb / (n.) – a group of people, often related families, who live together in the same area and share the same language, culture, and history
    Example:

    The local tribe has lived in this forest for hundreds of years.


  4. reinstate / ˌri ɪnˈsteɪt / (v.) – to bring back a rule, process, etc. that was previously stopped
    Example:

    The school decided to reinstate the uniform rule.


  5. food bank / fud bæŋk / (n.) – a place, similar to a store, where food is given to people who don’t have enough money to buy it
    Example:

    Many local families get their weekly groceries from the food bank.


Article

Read the text below.

Dawn and Cassius Spears would like to expand their southwest Rhode Island farm’s reach beyond their farm stand, but it’s challenging. Like many small food producers, the Spears have sought financial assistance through federal programs.


Some of these programs have been cut or significantly scaled back under the Trump Administration, including U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs that helped Indigenous farmers like the Spears.


Tribes have used these programs to distribute culturally significant foods produced locally. Some legislators are working to reinstate programs as part of the Farm Bill that would help state and tribal governments purchase local food.


The Biden administration started two programs during the pandemic to help states and tribes purchase local food from nearby farmers for food banks and schools: the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA) and the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program (LFS).


These programs offered farmers, including tribal farmers, reliable markets for their products. Tribal governments received assistance to purchase food from local producers to distribute to tribal members.


In March 2025, under the Trump administration, the Agriculture Department ended the two programs that provided more than $1 billion for schools and food banks, saying that they no longer aligned with the agency’s goals.


U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, a Rhode Island Democrat, and Sen. Jim Justice, a West Virginia Republican, introduced a bill they say takes the best from the two programs and creates a permanent grant program. It would allow state and tribal governments to buy local foods from local and regional producers to distribute to nearby hunger relief programs and schools.


Reed said he feared that when the USDA programs were cut, families across the country would have a more difficult time getting access to food. And, he said, the access wouldn’t be to nutritious, freshly grown produce.


This article was provided by The Associated Press.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • In the U.S., small food producers and farmers get financial assistance through federal programs to distribute food produced locally. In your opinion, how important is it to provide food producers and farmers with financial assistance? Discuss.
  • Do you think food producers and farmers in your country get enough support through government programs? Why do you say so? What kind of support does the government give to food producers and farmers? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • Sen. Jack Reed and Sen. Jim Justice introduced a bill that would allow state and tribal governments to buy local foods from local producers to distribute to nearby relief programs and schools. Do you think this is a good bill? Why do you say so? What do you think can be done to make this bill effective? Discuss.
  • Sen. Reed said he feared that American families would have a more difficult time getting access to food when the USDA programs were cut. In your country, how accessible are nutritious foods to consumers? Do you think access to food can be further improved? Why do you say so? Discuss.