Oklahoma City, Okla. (KOKH) — The United States Department of Agriculture is cutting two programs that helped buy local foods from farms to put in schools and food banks, according to the School Nutrition Association. The two programs spent more than a billion dollars every year.
Oklahoma State Senator Kristen Thompson R-Edmond is running SB985 to establish the Oklahoma Food for Schools Program to facilitate the purchase of local foods by school districts.
“We are really focusing on Oklahoma dollars helping getting local food for schools,” Thompson said. “So, I’m glad we have this in place, and hopefully we’ll be able to supplement if the federal dollars do end up not coming our way.”
Thompson said state dollars have already been appropriated for the program.
“What we’re doing is just making sure we’ve got the mechanics up and running and really ready to grow this program, make it efficient,” she told FOX 25. “I think any time we’re looking at cutting programming for kiddos, for quality food, it can be concerning but I know that myself and my colleagues we’re paying attention and we’re gonna do what we can to help
SB985 is currently waiting to be heard on the Senate floor.
