WACO, Texas (KXXV) — Texas’ top AG official said one of his biggest worries during the federal government shutdown is for families and school children, adding his office has a plan in place to make sure school children are fed if the shutdown lingers beyond the first of the year.
“I don’t think this shut down will go to the first of the year. I hope not. We could get in trouble then," Texas AG Commissioner Sid Miller said.
Watch the full story here:
Miller said he's also worried about SNAP recipients and while that is not governed by Texas' Dept. of Agriculture, his office wanted to help those in need right now.
Miller told 25 News' Bobby Poitevint the department has sent out almost $20 million to help out our area food banks during the federal government shutdown.
Right now there are more than 3 million Texas school children that get free or reduced lunch through the USDA's National School Lunch Program.
“Texas Department of Agriculture, we run the school nutrition program, school lunch, school breakfast, of course that’s all part of the government shutdown,” Miller said.
The USDA reimburses states for school meal programs.
Multiply reports including, Texas Public Radio, School Nutrition Association, Feeding America, highlight those operations have not been impacted and are expected to continue through November and beyond during the federal government shutdown.
The Department of Agriculture told Texas Public Radio and confirmed with 25News the following statement.
"The USDA informed states that they'll be releasing incremental funding to keep school meal reimbursements ongoing. That would include November and beyond."
“I’ve been through this before. It’s not my first rodeo as they say. I have funds held back in anticipation of things like this happening - the workers paid and all the children fed at least through the first of the year," said Miller.
The School Nutrition Association is a nationwide nonprofit who's reporting that $23 billion in Section 32 tariff funds were transferred to the USDA’s Child Nutrition Program accounts to help a wide variety of programs during the shutdown.
On its website, the USDA has not made a public comment about school meal programs being impacted by the shutdown.
“But the main thing to know is, I’m gonna keep those school children fed even through the shutdown,” Miller added.
