Gov. Shapiro Fights for Owed Federal Funds for PA Food Programs

Federal Food Program Cuts

• 🎯 Governor Josh Shapiro is actively working to restore federal food programs that have faced cuts.
• 💡 A key program administered by the US Department of Agriculture, which funded 189 Pennsylvania farms producing dairy, meat, poultry, and produce for food banks, was suspended.

Appeal and Legal Action

• 🏛️ The US Department of Agriculture sent a letter stating the program no longer met their objectives, leading to its suspension.
• ⚖️ Under federal law, Pennsylvania has an appeal right, and Governor Shapiro has filed an appeal through the state Department of Agriculture.
• 🤝 Congressman have been involved in efforts to help retrieve these federal dollars.

Contractual Obligation

• 📜 Shapiro emphasizes that this is not a request but a fight for funds that are legally owed, citing a broken three-year contract.
• 🗣️ He asserts that the federal government must honor the deal they made with Pennsylvania, invoking the legal doctrine of "a deal is a deal."
• 💰 The governor is committed to fighting for every dollar that is owed to the state.