The state of Pennsylvania has initiated a legal battle against the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) following the termination of the Local Food Purchase Assistance 2025 Cooperative Agreement (LFPA25 Agreement). The lawsuit, filed in federal court on Wednesday, challenges the USDA’s decision to halt the program, which aimed to support local food distribution through purchases from regional producers.
The LFPA was designed to bolster state-level initiatives, providing vital funding for food banks and school lunch programs. The USDA had initially committed to supplying more than $13 million to Pennsylvania’s Department of Agriculture under this agreement. At the time of its execution, the program was celebrated for achieving significant food distribution milestones, utilizing all allocated funds for food purchases without any diversion to administrative expenses.
Governor Josh Shapiro expressed significant discontent over the USDA’s abrupt termination of the agreement, emphasizing the impact on Pennsylvania’s farming sector and low-income families reliant on food programs. Shapiro stated, “When the USDA abruptly terminated our agreement without cause, they ripped away a reliable source of income for 189 Pennsylvania farms — and cut off funding that would have helped provide over 4.4 million meals to families across the Commonwealth.”
The legal complaint argues that the USDA’s termination of the contract is in violation of federal law, specifically referencing the Administrative Procedure Act. The lawsuit contends that the USDA provided insufficient justification for the program’s cessation, failing to clarify which agency priorities the LFPA no longer aligns with, thus undermining the anticipated benefits for Pennsylvania’s communities.
Moreover, Pennsylvania accuses the USDA of not adhering to procedural requirements mandated under 2 CFR § 200.342, which compels federal agencies to afford recipients the opportunity to contest a grant termination. The state asserts this breach of protocol deprived it of due process, infringing upon rights secured by the Fifth Amendment.
This development occurs amid a series of disputes over federal funding cuts. It follows recent legal actions by multiple states against federal agencies, such as the lawsuit against the Department of Health and Human Services concerning public health funding, and a preliminary injunction in Rhode Island blocking executive orders affecting library and museum funding.