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.
Take Action
Subscribe
DonateLet’s Stand Together in a Time of Emergency: The Mass Poor People’s Assembly and Moral March – ONLINE – Saturday, June 20 This pandemic and economic collapse, along with the recent wave of police brutality and racist murders, have forced this nation into an unprecedented season of crisis and action....
Join FRAC, Coalition on Human Needs, National Low Income Housing Coalition, and NETWORK for the next webinar in a series that is focused on elevating ideas on how and why 501(c)(3) organizations can support — in nonpartisan ways that are mission-aligned — voter registration, voter mobilization, and voting. Identify strategies, tools, and...
Did you miss CHN's annual webinar on using new Census surveys about poverty, income, and health from 2019 and 2020? Don't fret! Sign up here to receive a captioned recording of the webinar along with further resources and follow-up materials. Webinar description below: Wednesday, September 9, 3:30 – 5:00 p.m....
Event description coming soon. This webinar is hosted by the Coalition on Human Needs, Food Research & Action Center, National Low Income Housing Coalition, and NETWORK. It is the first in a series of webinars for 501(c)(3) organizations on permissible election-related activities. Register here.
Thank you so much to everyone who helped make our 17th Human Needs Hero event such a success! Did you miss the sponsorship deadline but would still like to support? Please contact Nicolai Haddal at nhaddal@chn.org Honoring: Census Counts, Count All Kids, and Protecting Immigrant Families! Our first ever virtual...
Join the Coalition on Human Needs, National Low Income Housing Coalition, and FRAC in another volunteer opportunity for individuals who want to be an active participant in elections. Whether or not you can vote, volunteering is a powerful way to ensure those who can vote are able to do so...
Join a national network of service providers, advocates, grassroots organizations, and leaders from coast to coast for the first national conference addressing the housing needs of domestic violence/sexual assault survivors, communities of color, and marginalized populations! Conference attendees will explore best practices, evidence-based approaches, and innovative safe housing solutions. Participants...
Watch a recording of this webinar here. See slides here and handout here. There is so much on the line with the election and so much uncertainty regarding the outcome. Join the Coalition on Human Needs for an hour of clarity on Monday, November 9th at 1 p.m. ET. You’ll...
View a recording of this webinar here. Since May, the number of poor children in the U.S. has grown by 2.5 million. Parents report their families are going without enough to eat. Millions of households are on the brink of eviction and can’t afford to pay for their basic living needs. When...
Register to view a recording of this webinar here. Find slides here. There is a way to enact legislation in the Senate with only a simple majority (51 votes, not 60): it requires Congress to pass a joint budget resolution with “reconciliation instructions.” This webinar will explain how it works:...
View a streaming captioned copy of the webinar here. The presenter slide deck is available here. Jared Bernstein, top Biden economist serving on the White House Council of Economic Advisers, will join CHN to explain how the COVID relief legislation now moving through Congress is the right size, with the right policies,...
The National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference, co-sponsored by the Food Research & Action Center and Feeding America, and in cooperation with the National CACFP Forum, draws anti-hunger and anti-poverty advocates; federal, state and local government officials; child advocates; representatives of food banks and food rescue organizations; sponsoring organizations and nutrition and anti-obesity groups. Members...