Give Voice for Hungry People

Feeding America 2017 Legislative Priorities

• Protect and Strengthen Federal Nutriiton Programs in Federal Budget/Spending Legislation

  • Oppose SNAP Block Grant and potential program cuts

  • Increase investments in TEFAP food resources

• Ensure the Next Farm Bill Reduces Hunger

  • Protect SNAP, increase TEFAP funding, strengthen food donation policies and identify funding for ag/food industry donation partnerships

• Protect Tax Incentives that Strengthen Food Banks, Working Families

  • Protect and strengthen federal charitable giving tax incentives

  • Protect and strengthen food donation tax incentives

  • Protect and strengthen tax credits for working families (EITC, Child Tax Credit)

What are the key risks we face?

• Largest Risk/Network Impact: SNAP Block Grant, ACA Repeal

  • Direct impact: increased food insecurity and demand on network; less resources for network (SNAP meals decreased)

  • Indirect impact: impact of ACA repeal on network clients, food insecure Americans

• Moderate Risk: Cuts to other federal nutrition programs (TEFAP, CSFP, child nutrition programs)

  • Direct impact: less Federal Commodities to network; less resources through federal programs for clients (School lunch, WIC)

• Lower Risk: Tax Reform (limits to charitable giving incentives, refundable tax credits)

  • Direct impact: less donations due to tax changes

  • Indirect impact: Federal tax cuts equals less federal revenue, pressure to cut spending
     

Farm Bill  

The Farm Bill is the major food and farm legislation that gets revisited or reauthorized by Congress every 5 years. The next Farm Bill is scheduled to be reauthorized by October 2018. It sets U.S. food and farm priorities by developing policies and funding programs that provide a safety-net for agricultural producers and for low-income Americans.

During this process, Congress has the opportunity to strengthen and improve the programs, address implementation challenges, and develop new policies to make sure individuals across this nation have access to healthy, nutritious food.

For more information about the Farm Bill, please click here.

To read the testimony submitted by the Association of Kansas Food Banks at the Farm Bill Hearing on the 2018 Farm Bill in Manhattan, Kan. on February 23, 2017, please click here.

Take the SNAP/Food Stamp Challenge.

Everyone occasionally experiences hunger pangs. But can you imagine how it feels to not know where your next meal will come from or whether there will be food for your children? SNAP (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly Food Stamps) is our nation’s first line of defense against hunger. Monthly SNAP benefits are provided to low-income families based on family size, income and assets.