By Andi Anderson
A federal funding cut will bring an early end to Ohio CAN — Ohio’s Community, Agriculture, and Nutrition program — which has connected food banks with local farmers since 2022.
Funded by the USDA through the American Rescue Plan Act and later by the Commodity Credit Corporation, the program will stop receiving funds after June 30, 2025.
Joree Novotny, Executive Director of the Ohio Association of Foodbanks, said Ohio CAN helped provide millions of pounds of fresh, locally grown food to pantries across the state. In 2023 alone, food banks received 4.6 million pounds of items like fruits, vegetables, dairy, grains, and proteins through the program.
The funding cuts will directly affect over 170 farmers and food producers within a 400-mile radius of Columbus, who relied on the program as a consistent source of income.
Michael Goldstick, owner of Guided by Mushrooms in Dayton, said his company supplied 130 pounds of mushrooms weekly to food banks through Ohio CAN.
“It’s horrible timing,” Goldstick said. “Food banks are in record demand, and families will now lose access to healthier, local food.”
Though the program made up a small part of the Ohio Association of Foodbanks’ total supply — which reached 300 million pounds last year — Novotny said it was among the most nutritious and locally sourced.
The program also helped build resilient local food systems, and its loss means more than just fewer deliveries — it means lost community connections, fewer local food options, and more strain on families in need.
Efforts are ongoing to secure alternative funding through cost-effective bulk orders and state-level advocacy. However, food advocates and producers alike are disappointed to see a valuable, community-strengthening program come to an end.
Photo Credit: usda
Categories: Ohio, General