President's Farm Bill Proposal Leaves Americans at Risk of Going Hungry
February 1, 2007
PRESIDENT’S FARM BILL PROPOSAL LEAVES AMERICANS AT RISK OF GOING HUNGRY
Statement Attributable to:
Vicki Escarra
President and Chief Executive Officer
Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Johanns released the Administration’s proposal for the 2007 Farm Bill reauthorization yesterday with minimal new investment in the Food Stamp Program and the addition of new punitive measures, significant negative revisions to The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) and provides no information on the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP).
The proposal recommends a repeal of a critical federal provision that currently enables food banks to receive priority consideration for the distribution of TEFAP commodities. This food supply is vital to the ability of food banks to serve 25 million low-income Americans, including 9 million children and nearly 3 million seniors, in every community of the United States each year.
With more than 35 million Americans, including nearly 12 million children, living on the brink of hunger, the Administration’s proposal is detrimental to the future of low-income individuals and families in the United States. This most vulnerable population can not find a path to food security and self sufficiency without having further access to emergency food assistance and the Food Stamp Program.
The Administration is taking a pass on an opportunity to help hungry Americans. The America’s Second Harvest Network was looking for a surge of hope for people who are hungry; instead we have a proposal that may actually increase hunger in our country.
We urge Congress to take an aggressive approach in passing a Farm Bill in 2007 with a strong nutrition title that ensures that none of our neighbors go to bed hungry.
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America's Second Harvest — The Nation's Food Bank Network is the largest charitable domestic hunger-relief organization in the country with a Network of more than 200 Member food banks and food-rescue organizations serving all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The America's Second Harvest Network secures and distributes more than 2 billion pounds of donated food and grocery products annually; and supports approximately 50,000 local charitable agencies operating more than 94,000 programs including food pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, after-school programs and Kids Cafes. Last year, the America's Second Harvest Network provided food assistance to more than 25 million low-income hungry people in the United States, including 9 million children and nearly 3 million seniors. For more on the America's Second Harvest Network, please visit www.secondharvest.org.
Contact:
Ross Fraser
Media Relations Manager
America's Second Harvest — The
Nation's Food Bank Network
312-641-6422
