Colorado will lose more than $13.1 million in federal funding for programs that help schools and food banks buy produce and other items from local farms and ranches, Gov. Jared Polis announced Wednesday.
The cuts come because the U.S. Department of Agriculture slashed two programs — the Local Food for Schools and Local Food Purchase Assistance initiatives — that together spent more than a $1 billion each year on schools and food banks, Reuters reported.
Colorado was set to receive $5.9 million for school districts and $1.7 million for child care centers through the Local Food for Schools program, the governor’s office said. The state also was expecting $5.5 million through the Local Food Purchase Assistance program, which supports farmers and helps supply food banks…