Cook County farm says $200K grant and two other pending grants were canceled
Cook County farm says $200K grant and two other pending grants were canceled
The company’s steady income from moving food to local food banks has also been disrupted, adding to the challenges created by the funding suspension.
MATTESON, Ill. - A family-owned farm in the south suburbs of Chicago has announced that funding for a grant it received last October has been suspended.
This news hit the farm after the bird flu wiped out their flock of chickens in January.
Kakadoodle, located in Matteson, revealed on Facebook that in addition to the $200,000 grant awarded for remodeling a pole barn into a new distribution center, two other pending grants have also been canceled.
Furthermore, the company’s steady revenue from moving food to local food banks has halted.
What they're saying:
The owners of Kakadoodle released a statement addressing the impact of the funding freeze, describing the situation as a "perfect storm."
A partial statement can be found below:
"Between bird flu and now this, it feels like we’re caught in a perfect storm. It’s scary to be in the middle of it. But here’s the good news: I’ve never felt more confident about Kakadoodle.
"These challenges have forced us to scale back and refocus on our core mission—delivering chemical-free food directly to homes. This is where we can make the biggest impact, and our attention is now laser-focused right where it belongs.
"It’s even sparking new ideas that I believe will take Kakadoodle to the next level.
"I'd even argue that this spending freeze is actually making our company stronger—pushing us to thrive in an open market without relying on government assistance."
Marty Thomas, founder of Kakadoodle said to ease the financial blow of the bird flu outbreak, they were expecting to receive reimbursement grant funding through a USDA program that helps small farmers expand operations.
"The $200,000 that we were expecting to come was for actually helping to turn this old coal barn that we're in today into our new distribution center," said Thomas.
The Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) program has now been cut by the Trump administration. Kakadoodle had already spent $80,000 on barn renovations.
Thomas said they will now focus on becoming financially sustainable by raising or borrowing money, but he hopes the USDA programs are reinstated.
"We've really felt the support and encouragement of the government to help us do what we're doing. They believe, and I do believe that they still do believe, that what we are doing is good and necessary for our country," said Thomas.
Dig deeper:
Kakadoodle’s struggles are part of a larger issue impacting businesses and organizations across Illinois.
Gov. JB Pritzker has criticized the federal government for withholding $1.88 billion in funds that had already been approved by Congress and signed into law.
In a letter to the White House Office of Management and Budget last month, Pritzker stated that state agencies, small businesses, nonprofits, and everyday residents of Illinois are struggling to access the federal funding they were promised.
He added that the uncertainty surrounding these funds, along with the lack of clarity from the administration, has left many organizations with no choice but to pause operations, cancel projects, or even lay off staff.
Pritzker urged the federal government to fulfill its financial commitments to Illinois, emphasizing that the funds were part of a contractual agreement.
The letter stemmed from a directive that was issued by the White House Office of Management and Budget on Jan. 27, which paused all federal financial disbursements, leading to reports of system outages and lockouts that prevented grantees from accessing their funding.
Since then, Pritzker says that many organizations, including childcare providers, educational institutions, small businesses, and economic development programs, have struggled with the lack of federal funding.
Some have had to cancel projects or even lay off employees as a result of the funding freeze, according to Pritzker's office.
The backstory:
On March 4, the Illinois Department of Agriculture announced that both the Local Food Purchase Assistance Program and the RFSI Program would no longer operate in the state due to funding cuts from the Trump administration.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture informed states, without explanation, that it would cease reimbursing any costs incurred after January 19.
The RFSI program, according to the Department of Agriculture, was designed to boost the capacity of the middle food supply chain for locally and regionally produced foods.
IDOA was in the process of selecting grantees for the RFSI program, which would have provided $6.4 million in funding, when the cuts took effect.
To learn more, follow this link.
What's next:
Kakadoodle stated that they will keep adapting and exploring new avenues for success.
The Source: This information came from Kakadoodle's Facebook page, along with previous FOX 32 coverage from the governor's office.