A little over a week ago, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) eliminated two key programs aimed at supporting local food systems: the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA) and the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program (LFS). These programs provided nearly $1 billion to schools and food banks across the country, enabling them to purchase fresh produce from local farmers and ranchers. The 2023-2024 period marked the first year of the LFS program, with the Coffee School System participating. By January 2025, Coffee County had received over $65,500 in LFS funding. Georgia, which received $7.1 million for FY2024, was set to receive $23.5 million for 2025—until the contracts were cancelled.…