Members of Clatsop County’s most vulnerable populations — who often rely on Clatsop Community Action’s Regional Food Bank for their next meals — may see barer pantries in the coming months due to freezes in federal funds at the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The federal Commodity Credit Corporation had been providing food banks with food through the USDA until funds were frozen in February.

The Oregon Food Bank Network, which includes the Clatsop Community Action Regional Food Bank along with 20 other regional food banks and over 1,200 food assistance sites in Oregon and southwest Washington, reported that the freeze affects about 18% of the network’s total food supply.

“At Oregon Food Bank, we are deeply concerned about the decision of the U.S. Department of Agriculture to cancel payments to a set of programs called the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), taking away the most basic human rights, food, from Oregonians, who are already impacted by high rates of hunger and food insecurity,” food bank spokesperson Morgan Dewey said in an email to The Astorian.

Dewey said that as of Feb. 24, 30 truckloads of food from the USDA — over 1.4 million pounds — had been canceled.

“We expected at least 60 more truckloads this year, but those orders were canceled,” she said. “This means fewer meals for families, empty shelves at food assistance sites and more Oregonians struggling to get the food they need.”

The USDA said in a statement to The Astorian that $1 billion for local food purchasing had been allocated in March — and that as of today, $390 million of those funds remain unspent — but did not respond to a specific request for comment about the freeze to the Commodity Credit Corporation.

The freeze comes at a time where Clatsop Community Action has seen a 20% increase in people accessing its designated food bank in Warrenton. Executive Director Viviana Matthews said the cancellations will be felt by the most vulnerable — families, children, seniors and individuals living on the margins.

“We urge decision-makers to work quickly to restore funding and ensure critical food assistance programs continue serving those who need it most,” she said in an email to The Astorian. “We also urge residents of Clatsop County to contact their representatives to advocate for our community and our most vulnerable population. CCA’s mission is to help people meet the most basic living needs, which includes food. We would not be able to (fulfill) our mission without the support from the community.”

A heightened need for food security isn’t just regional, it’s statewide: The Oregon Food Bank Network reported that in 2024, the organization saw a 31% increase in patronage — totaling 2.5 million visits to food assistance sites — compared to 2023.

Dusten Martin, the chief operations officer for the CCA regional food bank, told Clatsop County partners that the pantry would likely have a low food supply and lower variety in the foreseeable future. The food supply has had trouble keeping up with demand for months, he said, and any cuts now would simply exacerbate the existing problem.

“This means we all may need to be mindful of our service,” Martin said in an email obtained by The Astorian. “Our baseline for pantries is a 3–5-day supply of food one time per month. I would suggest sticking with that until we have more clarity on the food supply. I know most of you want to be generous, but I would suggest being conservative at this point in time.”

Martin said that CCA would be supporting a current legislative funding request to the state asking to purchase food and help close gaps in the current food supply, along with multiple other regional food banks across the state.

“Whether or not this request will be approved or partially approved is unknown at this moment,” he said. “We can hope for the best but must still be realistic that this request (is) being made during a time of austerity and increased focus on government spending reduction.”