NASHVILLE (AP) - Food banks are hurting as a federal economic stimulus program that helped provide surplus food is coming to an end.

The Tennessean reports (http://tnne.ws/WIukz6) the amount of surplus food dropped 25 percent last year and another 50 percent in the first quarter of this fiscal year.

But demand for food assistance is still high. That's left food banks searching for alternative sources of food.

Terry Minton is the commodity administrator for the Tennessee Department of Agriculture. She said the amount of surplus food available tends to ebb and flow, but it seems to be picking up and she hopes there will be more in the coming year.