FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 23, 2019

Contact: Hannah Packman, 202.554.1600
[email protected] 

WASHINGTON – A proposed rule to change the eligibility guidelines for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) would erode food security in the United States, according to the Alliance to End Hunger. If the rule is implemented, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates that 3.1 million hungry Americans would lose food assistance through SNAP, and more than 500,000 children from affected families would also lose automatic eligibility for free and reduced-price school meals.

As a member of the Alliance to End Hunger, National Farmers Union (NFU) advocates policies that decrease hunger by improving access to safe, nutritious, and affordable food. Because the rule would achieve just the opposite, NFU President Roger Johnson reiterated the Alliance’s earlier opposition and emphasized the importance of the nutrition safety net.

“Too many Americans don’t know where their next meal is coming from. Last year, about one in nine families experienced food insecurity. That number is still far too high, but it’s at its lowest level in over a decade – thanks in large part to SNAP and other nutrition assistance programs. Though there’s abounding evidence that the nutrition safety net works, this administration seems determined to limit its effectiveness and its reach. This latest proposal would remove one of the last lines of defense and leave millions of Americans – including hundreds of thousands of children – more vulnerable to hunger. We urge USDA to protect this critical program and ensure that all Americans are able to put food on their tables.”

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About NFU
National Farmers Union advocates on behalf of nearly 200,000 American farm families and their communities. We envision a world in which farm families and their communities are respected, valued, and enjoy economic prosperity and social justice.

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2 Comments

  • This is just socialist nonsense. The food stamp program is infamous for it’s massive levels of corruption and cheating. Massive cuts are understandable and long over due. It should be removed from the agriculture budget altogether unless we return to the old system of giving out surplus food.

  • Thank you for this info and for bringing this to my attention. I fully support The National Farmers Union in its effort to protect fur SNAP program for the children who benefit from it. Also I intend to contact my congressman to express my views on it.

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