LOUISVILLE-- After hearing about a need from Kentucky's food banks, the Kentucky Department of Agriculture issued more that $9,000 in grants to Kentucky's food banks. 

In November, Feeding Kentucky (then known as the Kentucky Association of Food Banks) chair Kurt Reiber said, the needed federal help with funding because of an increase in food donations from the federal government. He explained, ""While we're getting the great, nutritious food, the challenge is that we don't get any transportation, distribution or storage costs associated with that. And let's face it, keeping the lights on and doors open at our distribution centers takes some money."

KY food banks say they need federal help after receiving tariff bailout donation

Because of the ongoing trade war with China, many farmers were left with surplus inventory. Trying to help farmers, the USDA announced a plan to buy about $1.2 billion of food products from farmers. They said they would donate that food to food banks in the Feeding America program.

While food banks in Kentucky were happy to receive the extra food, they were left with a challenge when it came to storing and moving that food. 

KDA heard that, and decided to offer grants for cold storage for the food banks. The money came from selling an empty building. In total, the KDA issued a $9,793 grant to Feeding Kentucky. With that food banks were able to place 16 coolers and nine freezers in 25 different food pantries. 

KDA Commissioner Ryan Quarles says he is working with the USDA to get more help for Kentucky's food banks. Quarles said "We work with the United States Department of Agriculture every single day, and we had an opportunity these past several months to get more donated food and commodities to our food banks, and this donation of freezers and coolers helps work hand in glove with that increased number of donations. If we're going to help change and move the needle on hunger, we need to make sure that we have the storage and capacity to do that."

Tamara Sandberg, the Executive Director of Feeding Kentucky says the coolers will help a lot, but said they still need more help. Sandberg said, "We're very pleased with the USDA storage and distribution for some of the commodities that come through, and we need more. We'd love to have more food. We need to have the resources to distribute that food as well."