Not sure if its a bug or not but when you start as feds their food production is 4 in the red. I know ppl can change it but usually iirc correctly in botf when you start a game nothing was in the red till you grew in population.

If it isnt a mistake then nevermind.

I haven't played feds in a while but you're right, they shouldn't have -4 food although strategy-wise it's a good decision to let them feed from their stocks which are quite high for food at the beginning.

Could add a few farms for them in startbuildings.data..