‘It dramatically affects people’

U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin came to Saukville Saturday to hear firsthand what impact recent cuts to federal programs are having on local food pantries, spending part of her day talking to local food assistance program officials and stopping to serve lunch at the Ozaukee Food Alliance’s community meal.

“This is really eye-opening,” Baldwin said. “I think it’s extremely important to elevate the stories of Wisconsinites. People need to understand the impact this is having.”

The impact, she said, is widespread, affecting not just people who rely on food pantries but also the farmers who grow crops to fill their shelves and the butchers and meat processors who prepare them.

And the impact hasn’t really hit yet, Baldwin said.

“Because of the seasonal nature of food programs, we have not seen the full impact of food programs being cut,” she said.

Baldwin, D-Wisconsin, said it’s difficult to get answers from federal agencies about budget and program cuts so officials can respond to constituents.

“We’re finding we cannot get answers from federal government agencies,” she added. “It has been so chaotic in the last couple of weeks.”

Mark Gierach, executive director of the Ozaukee Food Alliance, said the uncertainty is difficult to deal with.

“It’s hard to talk about because there’s so much uncertainty,” he said. “It changes daily almost. You don’t know what to do.”

He noted that the Food Alliance has been told The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) funding for meats and proteins may be cut by as much as half — a loss, he said, of between 2,000 and 3,000 pounds of food annually.

“Where do you make that up?” he asked.

“It dramatically affects people. Meat and produce are the most expensive thing, and it’s the hardest thing for the people we work with to afford. You can exist on canned goods, but they’re not as healthy.”

Sarah Lloyd, director of development for the Wisconsin Food Hub Cooperative, talked about the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA), which helps support farmers, butchers and small meat processors who grow food for pantries and recently canceled its orders.

“It’s devastating,” Lloyd said. “It’s a really good program.”

Matt Stienstra, director of advocacy and community engagement for Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin, noted that farmers plan a year in advance, making it even more difficult for them when programs are abruptly cut.

Sara Pashak, past president of the Food Alliance, said the tightening economy is making it even more difficult for people who are already struggling — and that’s especially tough in a place like Ozaukee County.

“It’s really hard to be poor here,” she said, noting. “They’re working, they just don’t make enough, and then there’s all the shame and stigma.”

She said many people who are struggling are invisible, sometimes even to themselves.

“It doesn’t help when the federal government speaks the way it’s been speaking, making people feel they’re responsible (for their situation),” she said.

The pantries work hard to provide a good experience for them and as much access to fresh foods as possible, Pashak said.

“That’s exactly what TEFAP says it’s going to be cutting back from,” she said.

Marcia Nosko, executive director of The Food Pantry Inc. in Port Washington, said cuts in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) program is increasing pressure on families and pantries.

“We need to be prepared to fight against deep cuts to SNAP,” Baldwin said.

Gierach said pantries are working to develop new sources of food, places they can receive free or discounted food “or are you going to have to pay retail?

“Worse comes to worst and the supply chain starts to dry up, you may have to cut how much food you give to people. That’s not going to help anybody.”