Farm bill update

As you may already know, the U.S. "farm bill," or Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 is up for re-evaluation and renewal this month in Congress. This omnibus bill tends to be controversial for poverty and hunger activists and agriculture/business lobbyists alike, as it contains the allocations for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or food stamps) and TEFAP (The Emergency Food Assistance Program) and determines agricultural subsidies. Provisions in the bill can influence international trade and the natural environment, drawing concern from even more interested parties and lobbyists.

The farm bill is up for renewal every five years. This year, the Senate began consideration on the bill passed by the Senate Agriculture Committee the week of June 4. This version of the bill contained $4.49 billion in cuts to SNAP. Several amendments are in the works. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) is working on an amendment that would restore the money lost to these cuts, but others would likely increase them. The House Agriculture Committee is expected to bring its version of the bill to a vote this week, and decreases in spending on food assistance are expected to be even sharper.

Feeding America's Hunger Action Center has information on the farm bill's food assistance provision, and action you can take. For more information about the farm bill, follow the news and stay up-to-date!

New Feeding America study "maps the meal gap"

Feeding America, the national parent organization of the Ohio Association of Second Harvest Food Bank, recently published a map of food insecurity across America. The food insecurity rate in Ohio is 18.1%, above the national average.

See the Map the Meal Gap interactive graphic and study

Columbus Dispatch article on food insecurity in mid-Ohio