FRAC Chat

The U.S. Census Bureau recently released new data from the Household Trends and Outlook Pulse Survey (HTOPS), covering various topics including employment, food sufficiency, health insurance, and housing. It offers an important glimpse into the growing challenges many households face in accessing enough food. The June 2025 HTOPS data arrives at a particularly pivotal moment as policymakers debate major changes to federal nutrition programs and federal investments in anti-hunger efforts. The survey, formerly known as the Household Pulse Survey, began during the COVID-19 pandemic, and in 2024, transitioned into a longitudinal design where it surveyed the same people/households over time to observe changes and included new topics to allow for flexible exploration of new issues.

Early in May, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service (USDA-FNS) finalized their updates to the SNAP retailer stocking standards. The new rule increases the required number of varieties in each food category, and the number of perishable items stores must carry to be eligible as SNAP vendors. These changes will primarily impact small stores, including bodegas and convenience stores, small grocery stores, and combination stores (stores that sell general goods, but also carry some food, like dollar stores), which make up about 70 percent of all SNAP retailers. 

FRAC’s recently released Large School District report reveals that despite growing pressures, school nutrition professionals around the country continue to employ best practices to increase children’s access to nutritious school meals. In February 2026, FRAC surveyed 96 large school districts across 37 states and the District of Columbia on school meals operations and participation. Findings show that even in the face of challenges, including high food and labor costs, school nutrition departments continue to do what they do best: innovate, adapt, and put children’s health and well-being first.

The Senate now faces a defining choice. The House Farm Bill failed to meet the economic moment. It ignored the mounting pressures on American families, state governments, and local economies, while doing nothing to repair the most severe cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in its history. The Senate must not repeat that mistake.

Mother’s Day is an important time to reflect on all that we ask moms to do — and to ask ourselves what we are doing, and what we should be doing, to support them.