If the Farm Bill to be considered in the House Committee on Agriculture on May 23 becomes law, it will mean a cut of nearly $30 billion in future SNAP benefits over a decade.
Such cuts are unconscionable. For many children, they will make learning more difficult and lead to negative health outcomes. They will force families and older adults to choose between putting food on the table and paying for other expenses such as rent, utility bills, or prescription drugs. They will also harm our economy, removing the stimulative benefits of SNAP and even hurting farmers and ranchers along the way.
SNAP is the most effective anti-hunger program in the U.S. It reduces hunger by 30% and provides nutritious meals to one-quarter of America’s children.
The House bill makes these cuts by limiting the USDA’s ability to update the Thrifty Food Plan, which determines SNAP benefit levels, to reflect the real costs of a nutritious diet, based on science, along with reflecting food prices that remain stubbornly high. This will make it tougher for families experiencing food insecurity as well as the food banks that aid them. These would be the largest cuts to SNAP benefits in almost 30 years if enacted. In addition, these changes will trigger more than $500 million in cuts to Summer EBT, which provides grocery benefits to children in low-income families during the summer when schools are closed, along with $100 million in cuts to The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), which provides food for food banks and food pantries to distribute to individuals and families.
The House bill also would allow states to let private corporations take over determining eligibility for SNAP. Where this has been tried, replacing merit-based staff resulted in corporate skimping on careful help to people applying for or renewing benefits in order to maximize profits. It would also reverse previously enacted steps to reduce agriculture-caused greenhouse gas emissions.
During this time when many families grapple with the cost of housing and food, Congress must do everything in its power to provide relief to those who need it most.
Click “Start Writing” to send a message to Congress urging them to reject any and all cuts to nutrition programs in the FY2025 Farm Bill.
Every year, the Coalition on Human Needs gathers advocates, from neophytes to veterans with decades of experience, to celebrate our community’s steadfast commitment to standing up for the most vulnerable in our society. And there is much to celebrate: We’ve stood up against harmful cuts to programs like SNAP and succeeded in increasing funding for human needs programs; fought for a fair and accurate Census; resisted attacks on immigrants; and much more.
Of course, these accomplishments are only possible thanks to the tireless work of the generations of change-makers who have come before us. That’s why we are especially thrilled to honor Marian Wright Edelman and Peter Edelman for their historic contributions to advancing the cause of the most needy, spending decades advocating for those who need an advocate the most.
We’re hoping you and/or your organization will sponsor the event and be listed in invitations and our program. This is our only in-person fundraising event of the year and all proceeds raised go to supporting the work of the Coalition on Human Needs.
For more information and to sponsor: Click here for our Human Needs Hero event page!