“Snap to it,” indeed! Everyone who eats and knows others who eat should be paying attention to what is happening (or not happening) with the Farm Bill before the U.S. Congress now. The Farm Bill, up for debate and vote every five years, was supposed to be approved in 2023. A one-year extension means that the differing proposals from the House and Senate leadership on the Agriculture committees need to make hard decisions soon.
The latest discussion draft text, released May 17 by House Committee Chair Thompson shows cuts in future Thrifty Food Plan benefit adjustments on which SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits are based. Reductions in the amount of nearly $30 billion in a decade could bring serious threats to the health and well-being of more than 41 million people in the U.S. who rely on SNAP to help provide food for themselves and their families. Proposals by Senate Committee Chair Stabenow have no cuts to SNAP while still including increases in funding for the Emergency Food Assistance Program and the Commodity Supplemental Food Program.
Historically, the Farm Bill has been among the most bipartisan ones Congress produces. This should continue to be a priority for both political parties and for the future of the health and welfare of their constituents. As FRAC (Food Research and Action Center) reminds us: “You can’t lead a nation if you can’t feed a nation. Hungry people can’t wait.”
So, “snap to it.” Be it touch with your senators and your representative today, urging a Farm Bill that protects and strengthens SNAP as well as the commodity assistance programs that support millions of households in our country. Do it today!
Vernita Kennen
Incarnation, Shoreview
P.S. Don’t know how to contact your congressional representatives? Click here! (This tool will also show you your state representatives, but remember the Farm Bill is a federal bill so look for U.S. House and U.S. Senate folks.)
