In the coming weeks, the shelves at dozens of food pantries in California’s Fresno County will be a little emptier. Visitors won’t be able to take home as many groceries, and their bags will contain fewer nutritious items like chicken,

Dave Martinez, executive director of Feeding the Foothills, formerly Placer Food Bank, said the cuts are likely to result in a 50% reduction in funding and a 75% loss of food amounting to more than 500,000 pounds no longer being distributed to communities in need.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has abruptly halted millions of dollars worth of deliveries to food banks, POLITICO first reported. Per the outlet, the executive department previously set aside $500 million in deliveries to food banks through the Emergency Food Assistance Program for fiscal year 2025.