Carla Shellnut, professor and associate dean for extension engagement at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), told the Flagler County Board of County Commissioners on Aug. 4 that the UF/IFAS Extension Family Nutrition Program provides nutrition education for SNAP-eligible youth in Flagler County but faces a funding cutoff on Oct. 1, 2025.

Shellnut said the Family Nutrition Program (FNP) is an implementing agency of SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) education in Florida and that federal funds flow through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (USDA FNS) and the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) to UF/IFAS Extension. She described classroom and garden-based lessons, partnerships with schools and after‑school programs, and local staff who work on both direct education and environment- or policy-level supports to “make the healthy choice the easy choice.”

The presentation included county data Shellnut said she had reviewed: a 2023 child food-insecurity rate of 17.4 percent in Flagler County, about 13,643 SNAP recipients countywide, more than 7,000 households receiving SNAP benefits, a youth obesity rate she cited at 16.9 percent and a reported 18.7 percent of sixth- through 12th‑graders being active every day. Shellnut said UF/IFAS Extension has invested $141,000 into Flagler County under the current grant and highlighted local educator Kathy Ponce’s work; Shellnut said Ponce’s programming has reached 2,353 youth and that a garden project reached 743 youth (numbers reported by Shellnut).

Shellnut said the program had been defunded by action referred to in her remarks as the “Big Beautiful Bill Act,” which she said zeroed out federal funding for the program effective Oct. 1, 2025. She told the commission the program’s federal authorization remains in statute but the appropriation was cut; she said UF/IFAS is waiting to hear from Food and Nutrition Service and DCF about whether carry-forward funds could be used into fiscal year 2026. If not, Shellnut said UF/IFAS is exploring nonfederal funding sources and asked the county and local partners to consider alternatives to sustain gardens, Cooking Matters lessons and other direct education.

Commissioners asked follow-up questions about the age groups covered by the SNAP statistics and about how the program partners with schools and community groups. Shellnut said FNP typically partners “wherever youth gather” and that the program builds sustainability plans with school or community champions so gardens and lessons can continue after UF/IFAS involvement. She offered to work with County Extension Director Laura Valencia and county staff on local funding options.

Shellnut’s presentation and the commissioners’ questions did not include any formal county action. She concluded by repeating that UF/IFAS is seeking local partners and alternative funding if federal carry-forward is not allowed, and by thanking the board for the opportunity to present.