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What's New
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May 13, 2008 - Farm Bill (HR 2419) fact sheets now available!
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May 9, 2008 - Agriculture Secretary Calls on Bush to Veto His Own Proposals
While the improvements made in the nutrition title of the Farm Bill may not (in their words to the press) make sense to USDA Secretary Ed Schafer and Deputy Secretary Chuck Conner, they certainly make sense to the tens of millions of Americans struggling against hunger who will benefit from higher food stamp allotments and improved access to the program. Click here for more...
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May 8, 2008 - Now Online - February 2008 Food Stamp participation numbers.
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May 6, 2008 - Take Action: Organizational Sign-On Letter in Support of Farm Bill Conference Report The deadline for sign-ons has been extended to COB, Monday, May 12.
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May 5, 2008 - Comment on "Applying for Free and Reduced Price Meals in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program and for Benefits in the Special Milk Program and Technical Amendments (RIN 0584-A) USDA continues to implement rules and regulations from the 2004 Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act. Please join us in responding to a recent Interim Final Rule from USDA to advocate for stronger federal policy on School Meal Applications, and insure that our most vulnerable children have access to nutritious meals at school each day.
Comments are due by May 12, 2008.
Click here for model comments for you to submit. Please note that we have left placeholders in the first paragraph of the comments for you to insert your organization's name and a brief discussion of your work. Do not hit submit until you have modified that content.
If you have any questions, please contact Madeleine Levin at mlevin@frac.org or 202-986-2200 x3004.
We hope you will act very soon - and remember: comment letters are due to USDA by May 12.
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May 2, 2008 - BREAKING NEWS ON THE FARM BILL:
Senate/House conferees approved $10.365 billion in new ten-year funding for the nutrition title of the Farm Bill (H.R. 2419) in a late night meeting last night. Conferees left open the issue of privatization of eligibility determination processes and eight non-nutrition title issues. They also noted that budget scoring due from the Congressional Budget Office may require revisiting some decisions. Another short-term extension of current farm program law (H.R. 2954) gives lawmakers until May 16th to get a reauthorization passed and signed. While behind-the-scenes negotiations are expected to continue, in the meantime conferees do not expect to reconvene for a public meeting earlier than 1pm on May 6th.
Reuters Reports on Nutrition Investments: "Two-thirds of the money in the farm bill would be spent on nutrition programs such as food stamps, the major U.S. anti-hunger program. Stewardship programs would gain $4 billion, specialty crops, $1.35 billion and biofuel development $900 million. 'These are steps that will help 10 million people,' said Rep. Rosa DeLauro, Connecticut Democrat, who described changes in the food stamp program allowed by the new funding. The changes include a larger standard income deduction for food stamp recipients, raised to $144, a $10 increase, and indexed to inflation. The minimum food stamp benefit would be $14 a month, up $4, and indexed for inflation. Donations to food pantries would be raised to $240 million a year, up $100 million, and indexed to inflation.' See "White House warns farm law needs 'real reforms,'" by Charles Abbott, Reuters, 5/2/08.
Use 1-800-826-9624 to thank Members for Progress and to Build on Momentum: Call Members of Congress (via the toll-free line made available by AARP: 1-800-826-9624). Thank Members for making progress on the Farm Bill nutrition title and urge them to pass a Farm Bill with the strongest possible nutrition title, including new investments for: 1) food stamp benefit increases (especially raising and indexing the $10 minimum monthly benefit and standard deduction); 2) greater food stamp access (especially raising and indexing household asset limits); and 3) boosting purchases in The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP)(raising and indexing funding).
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April 25, 2008 - FRAC Facts: Rising Food Costs and the Thrifty Food Plan (pdf)
While the cost of food rose by 4.7 percent from March 2007 to March 2008, the cost of the Thrifty Food Plan (the mix of food items on which low-income people rely) rose even faster. Over the same time period, the cost of the Thrifty Food Plan rose by 5.6 percent. This increase in the Thrifty Food Plan is a more accurate indicator of how low-income households are suffering from rising food costs. Click here for the fact sheet (pdf).
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April 22, 2008 - Next Farm Bill conference meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 22, at 4:30 p.m. - click here for all the details.
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April 17, 2008 - New Online: FRAC President Jim Weill's presentation to at the House Hunger Caucus Briefing: The Impact of Rising Food Prices on Hunger in America (pdf)
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April 17, 2008 - Disaster Food Stamps Available in Some Arkansas Counties - click here for details.
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April 4, 2008 - FRAC Facts: The Impact of Rising Food Costs on Low-Income Americans (pdf)
All Americans are starting to feel the pinch of food costs that suddenly have begun rising more rapidly, on
top of rising energy, housing, and health costs. The higher cost of food is falling especially hard on low-income
families. This fact sheet details current statistics and news quotes on how widespread the problems are, and provides supporting information to strengthen nutrition program supports in federal nutrition programs.
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March 25, 2008 - New Online: Access and Access Barriers to Getting Food Stamps - A Review of the Literature (pdf version). Click here for a section-by-section version.
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March 15, 2008 - Read Maryland Hunger Solutions director Kimberley Chin’s blog on the Food Stamp Challenge, at the Maryland Hunger Solutions blog.
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March 11, 2008 - FRAC News Digest (3/11/08)
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February 8, 2008 - Rep. James McGovern on Food Stamps and the Federal Budget.
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February 4, 2008 - FRAC Statement on the President's Budget
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January 31, 2008 - Over 150 House Democrats support strong nutrition title in Farm Bill. Click here for letter to Agriculture Committee Chairman Peterson (large pdf file, may take a few seconds to download).
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January 30, 2008 - Now online: September and October 2007 Food Stamp participation numbers.
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January 29, 2008 - UPDATE! Food Stamp Boost is Quick, Effective Way to Stimulate the Economy
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January 28, 2008 - FRAC's Simplified Tool Kit Now Online!
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January 24, 2008 - Statement by Jim Weill, President of the Food Research and Action Center:
A Food Stamp Boost Is a Quick, Effective Way to Stimulate the Economy
The stimulus package announced today has the advantage of tax rebates that reach many – albeit far from all – of the lowest income families. But in other essential respects it falls short of what the nation needs both as a stimulus and as a support for those among us struggling with rapidly rising costs for food, energy, and housing.
In particular, we note the absence of a temporary boost in food stamp benefits and a temporary unemployment insurance extension, even though economists from a range of political perspectives agree that those are the two measures with the quickest and most cost-effective impact.
Enacting a temporary raise in food stamp allotments would strengthen the package, get money out quickly to be spent in local grocery stores across the country, and generate in local communities nearly twice as much economic activity as the investment would cost.
We and others who care about both the economy and low-income people in this country will be working in the days ahead to remedy those flaws in the package.
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January 22, 2008 - Food Stamp Boost is Quick, Effective Way to Stimulate the Economy
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January 4, 2008 - Text of Senate's Farm Bill Nutrition Title Now Available
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January 2, 2008 - Take Action: Farm Bill Negotiations to Wrap Up Soon
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December 19, 2007 - Simplified Summer Food, Emerson Fellows, and More: Final FY2008 Spending Bill Bolsters Support for Federal Food and Nutrition Programs
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December 18, 2007 - Farm Bill Heads to Conference, Prepare Now for Recess Activities
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December 14, 2007 - Senate Passes Farm Bill with Strong Nutrition Title
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December 13, 2007 - Congress Making Crucial Spending Decisions; Action Needed to Urge Support for Anti-Hunger Programs
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December 11, 2007 - New FRAC Report: School Breakfast Program Grows to Serve 8.1 Million Low-Income Children
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December 7, 2007 - Deal Reached to Move Farm Bill Forward, Action Needed to Urge Support for Strong Nutrition Title
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December 5, 2007 - USDA Issues Healthy New WIC Package (Summary and Statement)
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November 16, 2007 - Farm Bill Action Needed
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November 14, 2007 - More than 35.5 Million Americans Struggled Against Hunger in 2006
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