Seeds of Hope for Kentucky is hosted by Bread for the World, a Christian anti-hunger advocacy organization, in collaboration with the Presbyterian Hunger Program, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Coleman Crest Farms, Henson Media, and BSK Theological Seminary.

“The conference comes at a critical time. Like much of the country, food insecurity in the Commonwealth is a significant issue. Which is why we are hosting Seeds of Hope for Kentucky,” said Rev. Heather Taylor, managing director of Bread for the World. “Now, with the government shutdown, it could get significantly worse as funding for federal nutrition programs like SNAP runs out. If this happens, tens of thousands of families in the Commonwealth, including children, will go hungry. On top of the government shutdown, we have new SNAP work requirements and funding cuts coming into play that will make it even more difficult for struggling families in Kentucky to put food on the table over the long term. Now is the time to act.”

Kentuckians are more likely to struggle putting food on the table than the average American. This reflects food insecurity, where households may resort to buying more affordable but less healthy foods, eating smaller meals, or skipping meals altogether. In 2023, Kentucky’s food insecurity rate was 14.5 percent compared to the national average of 13.5 percent.

State and federal officials have warned that more than 600,000 Kentuckians who rely on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, also known as food stamps) will not receive their monthly benefits on November 1 if the shutdown continues or other funding sources are not found.

“I get to hear firsthand, from people all over the southeast, how a lack of a living wage causes them to have to make really hard decisions for their families” said Florence French Fagan, senior regional organizer at Bread for the World. “Working families across Kentucky are struggling to feed their children. Poverty is a root cause of hunger in the Commonwealth, and across the nation. I am so incredibly grateful that constituents made the decision to attend the Seeds of Hope for Kentucky conference today. Their voices make a difference and their willingness to learn how to build meaningful relationship with their senators and members of Congress matter.”

Staff from both of Kentucky’s U.S. senators’ offices are attending the event, as well as staff from several of Kentucky’s U.S. House of Representatives delegation. Governor Andy Beshear is opening the conference with a taped welcome message. The conference also includes discussions about the impact funding cuts to federal nutrition programs will have on food insecurity in the Commonwealth, the state of food relief efforts, and the importance of advocacy to address hunger.

Quotes from Participating Organizations

“As a scholar and faith leader deeply engaged in questions of justice and the American moral crisis, I am honored to support Seeds of Hope for Kentucky. This gathering reflects the best of our public witness—people of faith, policy leaders, and community advocates coming together to confront the scandal of hunger in our state. Nearly one million Kentuckians struggle to feed their families, and this conference reminds us that ending hunger is not merely a policy goal but a moral and spiritual mandate. Events like Seeds of Hope embody the kind of collaborative, justice-centered work we seek to cultivate through the Institute for Black Church Studies: a movement of faith communities committed to courage, compassion, and systemic change.” Dr. Lewis Brogdon, Executive Director, Institute for Black Church Studies, BSK Theological Seminary

“I am honored to partner with Bread for the World and others to bring this important conversation about food, nutrition and hunger to Kentucky. Families are struggling to feed their children, farmers are struggling to maintain their family farms, and our communities must come alongside and care for them as they also advocate for better policies and better protections for our children and families.” Rev. Sharon Felton, Congregational Advocacy Manager, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship

“We are in a critical time of great concern. People who are already food insecure are becoming ever more desperate for nutrition and food support. The government shutdown imperils state’s ability to pay SNAP benefits starting next month, and the overall cuts made in recent federal spending bills to SNAP and other benefits for those who live with hunger and poverty. Hunger is rising and will continue to rise unless we do something to avert the drastic increase. Standing together, learning about the current realities of hunger and finding ways to take effective action are vital in this moment. I believe that this Seeds of Hope event will be a chance to do those things that are necessary in this time to keep momentum going to end hunger in our communities.” Rev. Rebecca Barnes, Manager, Presbyterian Hunger Program, Interim Unified Agency, Presbyterian Church (USA)

Photos of the event are available. If you are interested in obtaining a photo for media use or interviewing a participant, please contact Chris Ford at cford@bread.org or 202-688-1077.

The post Amid the U.S. Gov’t Shutdown, Kentuckians Convene to Address Food Insecurity in the Commonwealth appeared first on Bread for the World.

“Government shutdowns often have a negative impact on working families with children, at-risk seniors, people with disabilities, and others facing food insecurity. But the loss of SNAP benefits will be devastating. Approximately 42 million people, including 16 million children, rely on SNAP every month. This is the first time in the history of the program that SNAP recipients will not receive their monthly benefits.

“It is not just SNAP recipients who will be harmed if funding is not made available. Grocery stores, farmers, food processors, and the people who work for them, will also be impacted.

“Food banks across the country are already warning they will not be able to keep up with the demand if SNAP benefits run out. This means tens of millions of people will have nowhere to turn, and children will go hungry.

“Throughout the Bible, we are called on to care for our neighbors in need. And as the wealthiest country in history we cannot stand by and let this happen.

“Bread for the World thanks Senator Josh Hawley for his thoughtful bill, the Keep SNAP Funded Act, which would help fund SNAP during this crisis and future ones. Funding for the bill would come from general U.S. Treasury funds that have not been allocated for any other purpose. We also appreciate the bipartisan support this bill has already received.

“Bread urges Democrats and Republicans to work together to address the looming SNAP funding cliff. We also urge the USDA to take all available steps to fund the program through the shutdown. For the sake of the tens of millions of Americans unsure of where their next meal will come from after November 1, we pray they will be able to prevent it from happening. 

“Ultimately, we need lawmakers to come together and negotiate an end to the government shutdown.”

The post Bread Urges Lawmakers to Prevent SNAP Funding Cliff appeared first on Bread for the World.

“Bread for the World is extremely disappointed by congressional passage of the White House’s rescissions request, which significantly cuts funding for lifesaving international assistance programs including emergency humanitarian relief and United Nations programs such as UNICEF. The Lancet has reported that funding cuts for international humanitarian aid programs already initiated by the White House could cause more than 14 million additional deaths by 2030. Many more people will suffer and die due to these additional funding cuts. 

“We do want to acknowledge our support for some positive changes to the rescissions bill that were made by senators. The final bill ultimately excludes funding cuts the White House requested for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), and maternal and child nutrition and health. It also protects funding for Food for Peace and the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program, both of which deliver international food assistance provided by U.S. farmers, as well as Feed the Future innovation labs. Led by U.S. universities, Feed the Future innovation labs help advance solutions to reduce global hunger, poverty, and malnutrition.”

The bill rescinds funding approved by Congress for fiscal years 2024 and 2025 and codifies many of the cuts to USAID and State Department programs initiated by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Much of the funding rescinded by this bill was passed by Congress and signed into law in March of this year. And because of this bill’s passage, the White House has already signaled it plans to submit additional rescissions requests.

“Congress passed this funding for a reason – international assistance makes America stronger, safer, and more prosperous. Rescinding funding for lifesaving international humanitarian assistance has the opposite effect and will cause our country to appear as an unreliable partner. We know that the DOGE cuts to international assistance programs have already resulted in tens of thousands of unnecessary deaths – including children. Why would we purposely cause more?

“God calls on us to care for our neighbors. It doesn’t matter if they are next door or an ocean away. Bread urges Congress to reject any future rescissions requests to international or domestic assistance programs.”  

The post Bread Statement on Rescissions Passage appeared first on Bread for the World.

“Bread for the World enthusiastically welcomes this bill, which funds key nutrition programs that support children and families while also benefiting U.S. farmers. With hunger still on the rise in the U.S. and as the world continues to experience the worst hunger and nutrition crisis in a generation, Bread urges both the Senate and House to pass it.

“The Senate bill fully funds the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), while the bill passed by the House Appropriations Committee does not. It also funds Food for Peace and the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program at higher levels than the House Appropriations Committee bill. However, funding for Food for Peace in comparison to last year would drop from $1.619 billion in fiscal year 2025 to $1.5 billion in fiscal year 2026. Funding for McGovern-Dole would remain steady in comparison to the last fiscal year at $240 million. The White House has proposed defunding both programs.

“Fully funding WIC will ensure that all families who qualify for the program will be able to participate in it. WIC participation is critical to the health and well-being of low-income mothers, babies, and young children. It enables families to purchase nutritious foods and provides health care referrals and information on healthy eating. This bill will also fully fund the WIC cash value voucher (CVV) program, which helps families purchase fruits and vegetables with their benefits, giving young kids the nutrition boost they need to develop.

“Food for Peace purchases and ships U.S. agricultural products around the world to address hunger emergencies. It fosters economic development in countries and regions that will benefit from this investment, and it strengthens U.S. diplomacy and national security. Since President Dwight Eisenhower signed Food for Peace into law over 70 years ago, it has reached more than four billion people in 150 countries with emergency humanitarian food and nutrition assistance provided by U.S. farmers.

“The McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program provides U.S. agricultural commodities and financial and technical assistance to lower-income countries to establish school feeding programs. In FY 2023, the program delivered nutritious school meals to more than 2.5 million food-insecure children in 34 countries.

“The fact that members of the Appropriations Committee negotiated this bill in a bipartisan manner and that it passed unanimously is an encouraging sign. Historically, funding for hunger and nutrition programs has been approved with bipartisan support on Capitol Hill. Even in these challenging times, this bill gives me hope that providing adequate funding for vital nutrition programs will once again be something in which Republicans and Democrats work on together and support.”

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Despite the impact, the recently House-passed “Big Beautiful Bill” would cut nearly $300 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) through 2034. The anticipated cut, which would be the largest in the program’s history, would result in more than 2 million children losing at least some of their SNAP benefits, and some states could cut the program altogether. Potentially removing roughly 30 percent of SNAP threatens food assistance for roughly 3.2 million adults in a typical month, including 1 million older adults aged 55 through 64 and 800,000 parents of school-aged children. 

The Senate Agriculture Committee released its budget reconciliation text on June 16, 2025, which included nearly $211 billion in cuts to SNAP. Even though the proposed changes result in fewer cuts than the House reconciliation bill, this would still cause massive disruptions to the SNAP program as we know it. The reconciliation bill now under consideration would cut $211 billion from SNAP. It is essential to understand how these policies would severely limit SNAP’s ability to respond in the wake of a potential economic downturn, worsen hunger for more than 2 million children, and undermine SNAP’s ability to stimulate the economy.

What is SNAP?

Formerly known as “food stamps,” the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a federal nutrition program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in partnership with state agencies. It provides financial assistance to low-income individuals and families to help them purchase certain eligible foods. As the largest program fighting hunger in the United States, SNAP plays a vital role in ensuring access to a basic, nutritious diet for millions of Americans, including children, the elderly, and people with disabilities. In fact, for every meal provided by food banks, like Feeding America, SNAP delivers nine, emphasizing its critical impact in the fight against food insecurity.

How does SNAP Work?

Benefits are provided on electronic benefits transfer (EBT) cards, which work like a debit card, to purchase eligible food items at grocery stores, supermarkets, and other eligible retailers.

Who is Eligible for SNAP?

SNAP’s eligibility is based on factors like income, household size, expenses, and citizenship status, with certain work requirements and deductions that can help applicants qualify.

What States Will Be Most Impacted by SNAP Cuts?

States most likely to be impacted by SNAP cuts include those with high poverty and food insecurity—such as Mississippi, Louisiana, and West Virginia, as well as large-population states like Texas and California, where many people rely on assistance despite overall wealth.

The Impact of SNAP on Rural Communities 

In the United States, 13.8 percent of the population resides in rural, non-metropolitan areas. Rural communities make two-thirds of all U.S. counties and also have some of the highest rates of food insecurity. This makes programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) especially vital, as their impact extends beyond individual households to entire communities. SNAP participation is highest in rural areas, reaching 16 percent, where it helps families weather financial hardships, such as job loss or the rising cost of living due to inflation.

SNAP, along with the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), plays a key role in reducing food insecurity and improving nutritional outcomes. As a public health nutrition program, WIC supports early childhood development, enhances school performance, and contributes to better long-term health for mothers and babies.

While food insecurity and SNAP participation are often discussed together, the data shows they don’t always align. SNAP participation more closely correlates with poverty rates than with food insecurity alone.

Among the top five states with the highest SNAP participation—New Mexico (23%), D.C. (20%), Louisiana (19.6%), West Virginia (17.4%), and Oregon (17.3%), only Louisiana also appears in the top five for household food insecurity.

Conversely, states like Arkansas, Texas, and Oklahoma rank high in food insecurity but not in SNAP usage. When mapped against poverty rates– Mississippi, Louisiana, West Virginia, New Mexico, and Arkansas– the connection becomes clearer, with Louisiana standing out as the only state consistently in the top five across all three metrics.

Despite these benefits, food insecurity persists, affecting 13.5% of U.S. households. SNAP remains a lifeline, and cuts to the program would not only harm vulnerable populations but also trigger widespread economic consequences. With SNAP supporting over 250,000 jobs, including more than 139,000 in agriculture, manufacturing, transportation, and municipal services, its impact extends far beyond individual households, particularly in rural communities where every SNAP dollar generates even greater returns, supporting both families and local economies. Notably, this excludes Puerto Rico, which would rank highest in both poverty and food insecurity if included. 

Farmers are also directly impacted by SNAP spending, as nearly a quarter of every dollar spent on food at home goes to farmers. If SNAP benefits are reduced, food purchases would drop by about half for every dollar cut. Furthermore, the bill’s proposed $230 billion reduction in SNAP funding would remove an estimated $30 billion in revenue from farmers and ranchers, another blow to an already struggling farm economy.

Additionally, cuts to SNAP would also jeopardize access to other nutrition programs for some participants. For example, many children in SNAP households are automatically enrolled in free school meals through direct certification. Additionally, if a parent or guardian applies for WIC benefits and is already enrolled in SNAP, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), or Medicaid, they would automatically be considered income-eligible for the WIC program through adjunctive eligibility. As WIC currently serves over 6.7 million people, cuts to SNAP would have downstream impacts that would harm already vulnerable children and families. 

The Moral and Economic Case for Preservation

SNAP is more than just an expense; it’s an investment in our society. These programs stimulate local economies and create numerous benefits that extend far beyond individual households. SNAP accounts for roughly 8 percent of the food American families purchase, and research shows that every dollar in federally funded SNAP benefits generates about $1.50 in economic activity, primarily through grocery store sales. By supporting basic needs like food, SNAP helps to strengthen communities, reduce long-term public expenses, and foster a healthier, more stable population overall.

What Can You Do To Help?

Everyone has a role to play in protecting programs like SNAP. One of the most effective ways to make a difference is by contacting lawmakers and urging them to support and strengthen these critical benefits. Supporting local organizations and campaigns that provide food and advocacy can also help amplify the impact. Additionally, sharing stories, facts, and personal experiences on social media raises awareness and builds momentum to keep these essential programs in place for those who need them most.

A total of 47.4 million people, including 13.8 million children, live in food-insecure households with limited or uncertain access to food, representing 14 percent of all U.S. homes. For recipients of supplemental programs like SNAP, these aren’t luxuries–they’re necessities. Without them, the most vulnerable members of our communities face hunger and further financial hardship. These programs offer stability and a chance to thrive, not just survive. Expanding and protecting these programs isn’t just good policy, it’s essential for preventing hunger on a national scale. A Golden Age of food security can begin once we defend these lifelines for our most vulnerable communities and invest in the future of our entire society.

The post SNAP: The Safety Net We Can’t Afford to Lose appeared first on Bread for the World.

“Bread for the World opposes the White House’s rescission request and strongly urges members of Congress to reject it. If passed, the rescission request would significantly cut funding for international disaster assistance, development assistance, and global health – including lifesaving global hunger and nutrition programs. If Congress allows these drastic funding cuts, countless lives could be put at risk.” 

The rescission request would rescind funding approved by Congress for fiscal years 2024 and 2025 and codify many of the cuts to USAID and State Department programs initiated by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Specifically, international disaster assistance would be cut by $500 million, global health by $900 million, and development assistance by $2.5 billion. 

“Codifying these DOGE cuts to USAID and State Department programs will likely lead to more DOGE-related rescission requests targeting global humanitarian aid funding. Congress approves this funding for a reason: U.S. global humanitarian assistance not only puts into action God’s calling for us to care for our neighbors by saving and improving the lives of tens of millions of people every year, it makes America stronger, safer, and more prosperous.”

Bread for the World is a Christian advocacy organization urging U.S. decision makers to do all they can to pursue a world without hunger

The post Bread Urges Lawmakers to Oppose the Rescission Request appeared first on Bread for the World.

“The House budget reconciliation package does little to help the most vulnerable families and instead includes numerous provisions that will push millions of children deeper into hunger and poverty. Bread for the World opposes this harmful package and strongly urges lawmakers to reject it,” said Rev. Eugene Cho, president and CEO of Bread for the World.

The reconciliation package makes significant changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in order to cut $290 billion from the program over ten years – the largest single reduction of domestic food assistance ever enacted. The bulk of the funding cuts come from pushing costs of the program on to states, imposing strict work requirements on unmarried couples, single parents, and other guardians with children over six and older adults up to age 64, and limiting future benefit increases.

On May 13, Rev. Cho sent a letter to House Agriculture Committee Chairman G.T. Thompson, Ranking Member Angie Craig, and members of the Committee outlining Bread’s concerns with the harmful SNAP provisions. 

“SNAP is the United States’ most important anti-hunger program. Each month, SNAP helps 42 million Americans put food on the table for families. In fact, 40 percent of SNAP recipients are children. Make no mistake, these SNAP funding cuts will harm children and families,” said Cho.

Most states will not be able to afford cost-sharing a percentage of the SNAP benefits their residents receive, especially poorer states like West Virginia and New Mexico, which also have high SNAP participation rates. States will be forced to substantially reduce SNAP benefits or remove qualified people from the program – including families with children.

“Bread knows the value and dignity of work – and SNAP rules already recognize that by implementing work requirements for participants who are able. But imposing work requirements on single parents with children seven and older ignores the realities of low-wage jobs, erratic work schedules, and unaffordable childcare. Seven-year-olds are still young children and need adult supervision at all times. The reconciliation package also expands existing work requirements to older adults who face their own challenges,” said Rev. Heather Taylor, managing director of Bread for the World.

Freezing future benefit increases through the Thrifty Food Plan as food prices continue to rise will push millions of children and their families into hunger.

The House reconciliation package also fails to extend the expanded child tax credit (CTC) to the families who need it most. An estimated 17 million children, 1 in 4 children in the U.S., will not benefit from the modest $500 per child CTC increase because their families earn too little to receive it. Additionally, an estimated 4.5 million U.S. citizen and legal permanent resident children who have parents that are immigrants would become ineligible for the CTC under the new guidelines.

“The reason the 2021 CTC expansion was so effective at reducing child hunger and poverty is because it enabled the lowest-income families with children to receive the credit. This ‘expansion’ leaves out the most vulnerable children and will do little to reduce childhood hunger and poverty. We ask lawmakers to correct this mistake,” said Cho.

“God calls on us to care for the most vulnerable among us. This reconciliation package falls well short of that. ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did to me.’ Matthew 25:40,” added Cho.

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As we address the spread of hunger in our nation and our world, we must all leverage our power and resources to make hunger a thing of the past – and that starts with understanding the scope of the problem.

In this article, we will discuss:

• What is food insecurity?
• Does inflation impact food insecurity?
• What is the difference between food insecurity and very low food security?
• What does food insecurity look like in the U.S.?
• Which states are most impacted by food insecurity?
• Which demographics are most impacted by food insecurity?
• How can we help address food insecurity?

What is food insecurity?

Food insecurity is a limited ability to acquire adequate food due to a lack of money and other resources. Households experiencing food insecurity don’t have consistent access to enough nutritious food to live a healthy, active lifestyle. This can result in malnutrition and other health issues with lasting consequences.

Food insecurity is caused by a host of factors including the economy, household circumstances, and government policies. 

Does inflation impact food insecurity?

Inflation – an increase in prices and a corresponding decrease in the dollar’s purchasing power – is a major driver of food insecurity. The Consumer Price Index for food, which measures the average price of foodstuffs for consumers, increased 0.1 percent from July 2024 to August 2024 and remains 2.1 percent higher than in August 2023. It is expected to rise another 1.6 percent in 2025. 

Inflation boosts prices for consumers, making it harder to afford nutritious food. Even the cost of basic products, such as cereals and bakery products, has risen 0.4 percent. Further, inflation drives up almost all expenses, making money tighter than ever. For families already struggling to make ends meet, these increases can push them over the edge into food insecure situations.

What is the difference between food insecurity and very low food security?

While food insecurity limits the quality and variety of a diet, very low food security impacts households’ ability to eat any food regularly – or at all. 

Very low food security is defined as a reduction of food intake and disruption of normal eating patterns due to a lack of money or other resources. In 2023, 97 percent of households with very low food security reported not having money to buy food after their groceries ran out, 68 percent reported that they were hungry but didn’t eat because they couldn’t afford to, and 30 percent reported that an adult in the household didn’t eat for an entire day because there wasn’t enough money for food.

Very low food security can have an extremely damaging effect on physical and mental well-being. Children are especially susceptible to lasting developmental problems from not getting enough nutritious food or skipping meals entirely at an early age.

What does food insecurity look like in the U.S.?

Food insecurity continues to plague households across the country, threatening their physical and emotional well-being. Food insecurity in 2023 was statistically higher than in past years, indicating a concerning trend that must be addressed before more households are left to struggle with inadequate amounts of nutritious food.

Last year, 13.5 percent of American households – 18 million families – were food insecure. That means nearly 50 million Americans lived in a household without consistent access to food capable of supporting a healthy lifestyle. Moreover, food insecurity has grown every year since 2020, when there were less than 14 million households struggling with food insecurity. 

6.8 million of those families – more than 5 percent of all U.S. households – faced very low food security in 2023. These numbers are consistent with the last four years, indicating a lack of progress in helping millions of Americans consistently have food on their tables.

More than six million households with children faced food insecurity in 2023. While many of the adults in households with children bear the brunt of restricted access to food, such as choosing to eat less so that the children can experience mild or no effects, many children still do not have enough food. This can be especially damaging to young bodies that are rapidly growing and still developing. 

In 2023, nearly 10 percent of children lived in households where at least one child was food insecure and almost 850,000 children lived in households with very low food security among the children. 

Food insecurity in the U.S. is a rampant problem that impacts millions of households. It creates higher risks for many negative impacts, such as chronic health conditions, reduced performance, and greater mental health challenges. 

For instance, adults facing very low food insecurity are more than 10 percent more likely to suffer from hypertension or arthritis. In addition, the average predicted prevalence of cancer in food-insecure households is more than three times the average for highly food-secure households. Similarly, food-insecure adults are six times as likely to suffer a stroke. Food insecurity can also cause psychological stress and contribute to mental health issues. In particular, food insecurity was linked to a roughly 250 percent higher risk of anxiety and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Food insecurity, which affects millions of households, has a far wider impact than simply what is in the pantry or on the table.

Which states are most impacted by food insecurity?

The rate of food insecurity varies by state. A state’s average wages, cost of housing, unemployment, and more all play a role in the prevalence of food insecurity and the number of residents impacted. Similarly, policies such as unemployment insurance and nutrition assistance programs impact the number of households experiencing food insecurity. 

As of 2023, the national average for food insecurity is 13.5 percent. However, seven states have significantly higher rates of food insecurity: 

• Arkansas: 18.9 percent
• Texas: 16.9 percent
• Louisiana: 16.2 percent
• Mississippi 16.2 percent
• Oklahoma: 15.4 percent
• Kentucky: 14.5 percent
• South Carolina: 14.4 percent 

Due to a combination of household- and state-level characteristics, residents of these seven states are more likely to experience restricted access to food. 

Factors such as unemployment and geography play a significant role in the prevalence of food insecurity. States with higher unemployment rates often experience greater food insecurity. Unemployment is linked to a 30 percent greater likelihood of food insecurity. Food deserts, defined as areas where it is difficult to buy affordable, nutritious food, also increase the risk of food insecurity. Southern states have a high concentration of food deserts which, coupled with weak safety nets, leave their residents especially vulnerable to food insecurity or very low food security.

Which demographics are most impacted by food insecurity?

Food insecurity can compound existing inequalities by disproportionately affecting already vulnerable populations. Additionally, in an economy still struggling to recover from ongoing inflation, rural and low-income residents are more likely to face food insecurity due to high prices and limited resources.

Children are especially vulnerable to the impacts of food insecurity or very low food security. Among all households with children, 17.9 percent face food insecurity. Moreover, nearly 35 percent of children with a single mom and 23 percent of children with a single dad face food insecurity. The rates are also high for very low food security: 11.8 percent and 8.6 percent, respectively. 

Food insecurity has an especially damaging impact on already marginalized communities. The food insecurity rate for Black and Hispanic households is 1.7 times higher than the national average, at nearly 23 percent and 22 percent, respectively; very low food security was around 9 percent and 8 percent, respectively. Additionally, people experiencing poverty or living in rural areas have higher rates of food insecurity and very low food security.

Inadequate access to food is affecting households throughout our nation. While some demographics have especially high food insecurity rates, the truth is that few groups are completely exempt from the threat of food insecurity in our current economy.

How can we help address food insecurity?

Food insecurity is a wide-ranging issue that touches millions of lives. Yet every year, there is enough food produced to feed everyone in the world. Ending hunger is about making sure that food goes to the people who need it most. Hunger is a huge problem, yet even a single individual can make a difference.

Simple but impactful steps that you can take today include:

• Writing a letter to your local representative about issues currently moving in Congress.
• Speaking up on social media and tagging your senator or local representative.
• Organizing community letter-writing efforts to Congress within your church or community.
• Praying for the end of hunger.
• Giving to organizations that are dedicated to ending hunger.

The Farm Bill

Federal nutrition programs are essential to addressing hunger. These programs give about 10 times as much food assistance as private churches and charities combined. Legislation such as the farm bill has a significant impact on any American who purchases and consumes food.

The farm bill is an expansive set of policies that includes programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which alone serves more than 41 million people and is shown to be an incredibly effective method of reducing food insecurity and stopping hunger. Other programs addressing domestic food insecurity that have been a part of the farm bill include:

• The Emergency Food Assistance Program;
• Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations;
• Commodity Supplemental Food Program;
• Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program;
• Seniors Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program;
• Healthy Food Financing Initiative;
• Community Food Projects; and
• The Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program.

The farm bill must be reauthorized by Congress every five years. While this gives Congress a chance to improve its food and nutrition security efforts, it also creates the potential for gridlock and devastating cuts to programs that address food insecurity. Failing to reauthorize the farm bill or pass an extension (which occurred in 2023) would shut down some programs while reverting key pieces of legislation that farmers rely on back to outdated laws from nearly seven decades ago. America needs politicians who will prioritize passing a farm bill with strong nutrition assistance programs. 

Passing the farm bill is vital to putting food on the table in millions of homes – and you can help. Experience has shown us that congressional leaders really do listen to their constituents, so adding your voice to those in favor of reauthorizing the farm bill can help move it up the priority list for your members of Congress. Simple efforts such as writing letters or speaking up on social media can help to turn the tide and ensure the farm bill is passed.

The post Rising Expenses and Food Insecurity: An American Reality appeared first on Bread for the World.

500 million people.

IDA does this by turning donations from higher-income countries into grants and low-to-zero interest loans to lower-income countries. It’s a lifeline for governments who are trying to address multiple mounting, intertwined crises at once. Conflict, economic shocks, the impacts of extreme climate, persistent poverty, rising inequality, and lasting impacts of COVID have hurt us all – and especially lower-income countries. 

South Korea

My birth country, South Korea, faced several of these same crises in the 1950s and 60s. After the Korean War, the Republic of Korea was struggling with widespread hunger, the challenges of post-conflict rebuilding, sluggish economic growth, and political corruption. Its GDP per capita was just $158. 

South Korea sought help and received its first IDA loan in 1962. Now, its GDP per capita is $32,254. 

It was a striking achievement. They didn’t just use the loan to address shortfalls in their budget, they used it to change their country’s future. They are now a donor to IDA, contributing so that other countries have the chance to experience the same transformation.

Bread for the World

Nearly six years ago, Bread for the World was one of a few NGOs in 2019 who successfully defended IDA from appropriations cuts that were proposed in initial spending bills that year. Two years later, in 2021, Bread members advocated for – and then celebrated – a historic replenishment for IDA20. 

Now, we are working toward the replenishment of IDA21. We are advocating for another successful replenishment – maybe the largest of all time.

Nutrition 

One of the great blessings of modern life is that we have learned a lot about how to end dire poverty and disease that harmed much of past generations. One of the great tragedies of modern life is that we have not put all that know-how into practice. 

For example, we know what it will take to end malnutrition around the world. The tools are there: prenatal vitamins, breastfeeding support for mothers, vitamin A supplementation, treatment of child wasting. We know we have to make food systems work better so that people have better access to affordable, safer, and more nutritious foods.

But our actions do not match our words. Nutrition is vastly underfunded globally and is often an afterthought in health and food programs. In fiscal year 2023, the nutrition account was only 1.5 percent of U.S. global health funding.

We should make sure that children affected by malnutrition are able to get the treatment they need, and we also need to prevent malnutrition; I would far rather a child never be malnourished. 

This takes funding – and there is not enough. 

IDA in action 

In July, Brazil’s President Lula de Silva announced a new Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty as part of their presidency of the G20. The Alliance aims to enhance global partnerships, mobilize essential resources, and share knowledge and successful policies and practices to address hunger and poverty on a worldwide scale – it will coordinate a global effort against hunger and poverty. Funding mechanisms such as IDA can provide crucial financial support to implement these policies. 

This matters to the 77 countries currently partnering with the World Bank on IDA. Just one example is Malawi, where IDA has helped millions of Malawians access food, improve nutrition, and rebuild agricultural livelihoods in the aftermath of climate shocks. In the low-income countries that quality for IDA, infrastructure is already precarious, so climate disasters affect them even more intensely – and investments that help smallholder farmers build resilience to them are even more impactful. 

What We Need Now

I wrote this when I was in New York for meetings around the United Nations General Assembly. IDA was on people’s minds because crisis was on people’s minds. That week, Denmark set an example – they announced an early commitment to IDA that is a 40 percent increase from their last commitment. This impressive pledge is a strong statement of IDA’s power to address poverty and hunger and their drivers. 

Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank Group, says, “The magic of IDA is not only the lifeline it offers to these countries, but its unique capacity to multiply every donor dollar four times. It’s the best deal in development. This commitment from Denmark will have a tangible impact on people’s lives.”

Hon. Simplex Chithyola Banda, Malawi’s Minister of Finance & Economic Affairs, says, “IDA is one of the most proven and effective aid providers the world possesses today and will be vital in delivering the vision of a hunger- and poverty-free world. With greater funding, the IDA can support the long-term investments needed to strengthen national food systems, while also breaking the cycle of crises that currently hold back the most vulnerable nations.”

It is projected that about 582 million people – half of them in Africa – will still be chronically undernourished by 2030 if current trends continue. The world needs to address the drivers of hunger and malnutrition and needs to put sufficient funding and financing into place that will allow countries to deliver interventions at scale – such as IDA. 

Ensuring a successful replenishment of IDA21 this year is one step toward these goals. Bread for the World urges the U.S. to make a strong commitment to this fund and urges our partners and allies around the world to do the same. 

Pray for Bread for the World as we advocate for IDA21 at key moments between now and December’s IDA21 Replenishment deadline. Pray that our words will be heard by our government leaders – and met with action.

The post Why We Are Advocating for a Successful IDA Replenishment appeared first on Bread for the World.

The statement can be attributed to Rev. Eugene Cho, president and CEO of Bread for the World:

“The dramatic funding cuts included in this legislation would have a significant impact on our country’s ability to respond to, and prevent, current and emerging hunger and famine crises in Sudan, Gaza, Haiti, Armenia, Burkina Faso, and many other countries and regions. We urge lawmakers to ensure humanitarian assistance programs are adequately funded.”

Specifically, if enacted as is, the House legislation would:

• Cut the overall SFOPs allotment by more than 11 percent below the fiscal year 2024 level.
• Cut USAID’s operating expenses by $480 million below the FY 2024 level.
• Cut funding for development assistance by $931 million below the FY 2024 level.
• Cut funding for international disaster assistance by $1.3 billion below the FY 2024 level.
• Cut funding for programs addressing global maternal and child health and infectious diseases by $362 million below the FY 2024 level.
• Cut funding for international financial institutions by $583 million below the FY 2024 level.
• Defund a host of institutions at the United Nations, including UNICEF, and prohibit support for the WHO and UNFPA.
• Prohibit funding for programs addressing climate change, one of the primary causes of hunger, including the Green Climate Fund, the Clean Technology Fund, and implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement.  

“At a time when the world is experiencing the greatest hunger and famine crisis in a generation, cutting funding for these critical organizations and programs would impact hundreds of millions of lives, particularly women and children.

“Bread members and supporters were thankful for the passage of emergency humanitarian assistance in April and hope lawmakers will go back to the table to approach this vital funding legislation with the same level of thoughtfulness and concern for our global neighbors in need. ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ (Matthew 25:40 NIV).

“Again, we urge lawmakers to ensure humanitarian assistance programs are adequately funded to at least 2024 levels and reject amendments that would make additional cuts to the committee’s allocations or otherwise hinder the lifesaving work of USAID, the UN, and other partner organizations.”  

Read more: Bread’s Response to Hunger Hotspots in Gaza and Around the World

The post Bread Urges Lawmakers to Oppose Dramatic Humanitarian Aid Funding Cuts appeared first on Bread for the World.

“Bread for the World welcomes the modest funding increases for global nutrition in the final FY 24 ‘minibus’ budget package. While the overall funding levels for development and humanitarian programs fall significantly short of the need, the increase in global nutrition will help ensure many more women and children receive critical assistance.

“We thank the thousands of Bread members and supporters who have contacted their members of Congress and urged them to increase funding for humanitarian aid. Without their faithful advocacy, we could be in a much different funding situation.  

“Our world is facing an ever-worsening hunger and malnutrition crisis. Almost 45 million children suffer from acute malnutrition, and malnutrition is attributed to nearly half of all preventable deaths among children under five. Tens of millions of people across multiple regions are on the verge of, or in some cases now in the grip of, famine. Countless numbers of people, the majority of which will be children, could die within a matter of weeks or months without immediate assistance.

“Bread urges Congress to meet the urgency and challenges of these ongoing crises by funding humanitarian and nutrition assistance at levels that accurately reflect the need. These investments will both save lives and help create stability.

“Lawmakers can begin by passing an emergency humanitarian supplemental funding package as soon as they return from recess to address the multiple ongoing and emerging famines. They should also increase global nutrition funding in the fiscal year 2025 budget to $300 million to bring an end to preventable deaths and help millions of children lead healthy and productive lives.

“’We must not withhold good from those whom it is due, when it is in our power to act,’ (Proverbs 3:27).”

The post Bread Statement on Humanitarian Aid in FY 2024 ‘Minibus’ appeared first on Bread for the World.

COP is the annual gathering attended by countries that are legal parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), an international treaty that includes various voluntary commitments to address climate change. For example, as a party to the UNFCCC, the United States has committed to allocate funding to prevent “dangerous anthropogenic [human-caused] interference with the climate system.”  

On Gender Equality Day at COP 28, the U.S. government announced $1.4 billion in investments to the Women in the Sustainable Economy (WISE) Initiative, which Vice President Kamala Harris had launched a few weeks earlier, in November 2023, at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders’ Summit in San Francisco, California. Among other objectives, the WISE Initiative aims to improve women’s access to financing in green and blue industries. 

The green industry promotes growth in employment, economic activities, and infrastructure that help reduce carbon emissions and pollution, prevent loss of biodiversity, and protect the ecosystem. Blue industries promote business growth and resilience in the agriculture, fishing, green business, and tourism markets for women entrepreneurs. The WISE Initiative aligns with the U.S. National Strategy on Gender Equity and Equality.

According to UN Women, gender norms, inequalities, and unequal participation in decision-making processes—including at global policy gatherings such as COP—prevent women’s voices from being heard so that they can fully contribute to climate solutions that benefit women and girls, including action on issues such as the impacts of climate change on the food security of women and girls. 

A report launched in December 2023 by UN Women indicates that by 2050, climate change may push up to 158 million more women and girls into poverty and cause 236 million more to face food insecurity. The data from the report is a reminder of how important it is for governments to ensure that women’s and girls’ needs and rights are integrated into policies on climate response. Climate change solutions must not treat “gender” or “women” or “girls” as separate, possibly less important, issues because this impacts the well-being of women and girls in many interconnected ways. Food security, access to education, gender-based violence, economic status, and social discrimination are just a few examples. 

According to experts, climate change continues to drive adverse impacts related to losses and damages to women and girls. The science shows that vulnerability to climate change during hurricanes and other disasters is exacerbated by inequity and marginalization and is a threat multiplier for women and girls.

This gendered lens of the impact of climate change is critical for understanding that political will is important, but also critical are financing solutions that have a gendered lens, because these are key to addressing climate threats to women and girls’ food security, education, health, livelihoods, and safety. Climate finance through initiatives such as WISE can support countries in carrying out their just transition planning and implementation frameworks, so that in practice the financing is commensurate with the harm sustained by women and girls.  

On the heels of COP 28, the WISE Initiative, the U.S. National Strategy on Gender Equity and Equality, and other strategies such as the Global Food Security Strategy, which is operationalized through an all of government approach, will be ones to watch. Their implementation and their progress will be markers of the administration’s commitment to advancing food security, gender equity, and climate financing in mitigating and responding to adverse impacts of climate change on women and girls.  

These results will also reflect whether the U.S. will be a leader or a laggard in the gender, climate, and financing policy space for the effective implementation of the Paris Agreement. The Paris Agreement compels countries signatory to the UNFCCC to address climate change, adapt to its effects, and provide financing to achieve these objectives. 

As UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous said, the rights of women and girls must be at the center of climate action, including at COP28. Ensuring that women and girls have a seat at the table—that they participate in making consequential decisions, are able to secure funding for their plans, and have equal leadership roles—is important not only for women and girls, but for the well-being of all members of society.  

Abiola Afolayan is co-director, Policy and Research Institute, with Bread for the World.

The post Gender, Climate, and Finance at COP-28  appeared first on Bread for the World.

The farm bill sets national policies for nutrition, agriculture, conservation, and forestry. It provides nutrition assistance to millions of Americans through programs such as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), which typically gets the largest funding share of any program in the farm bill. 

The farm bill is due to be reauthorized by Congress every five years; the most recent farm bill was enacted into law in 2018, and it expired in 2023. When Congress delays reauthorization, the existing farm bill has to be extended until the next one is completed. Programs included in the farm bill provide lifesaving assistance to millions of people facing dangerous levels of hunger and malnutrition, both in the U.S. and around the world.

In this article, we will discuss:

• What is the farm bill?
• What is included in the farm bill?
• How much does the farm bill cost?
• What federal programs are authorized in the farm bill? 
• Why is the farm bill important for ending hunger in the U.S.?
• Does the farm bill provide global food assistance?
• What is Bread for the World advocating for in the 2023 farm bill? 
• Was the farm bill reauthorized in 2023?
• What happens if the farm bill expires?
  

What is the farm bill? 

The farm bill is an enormous package of policies and programs that is reauthorized by Congress every five years and sets the nation’s agricultural and food policies. The bill governs both U.S. and global programs and impacts everything from the price and quality of the food we eat to the health and sustainability of the nation’s farms and natural resources. 

Since the 1930s, Congress has enacted 18 farm bills. Each farm bill has several unique titles, such as conservation, nutrition, rural development, trade, and others; but the omnibus package of legislation as a whole is commonly referred to as the “farm bill.” The farm bill that expired in 2023 is called the “Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018.” President Trump signed the 2018 farm bill into law on December 20, 2018. 

Reauthorizing the farm bill gives Congress an opportunity to improve food and nutrition security through several federal nutrition assistance programs.

What is included in the farm bill?

The farm bill governs a variety of agricultural and food programs. The farm bill has become increasingly expansive in the past several decades. It has an important impact not just on nutrition assistance for Americans but on how food is grown and what kinds of foods are prioritized in agricultural policy. 

The current (2018) farm bill has twelve chapters, called titles:

Title 1: Commodities.
What it covers: Price and income support for the farmers who grow crops like corn, wheat, soybeans, rice, and sugar (it also includes dairy).

Title 2: Conservation.  
What it covers: Natural resource conservation efforts on farms and ranches. 

Title 3: Trade. 
What it covers: Food export subsidy programs and international food aid programs.

Title 4: Nutrition.  
What it covers: The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other nutrition programs.

Title 5: Credit.  
What it covers: Federal loan programs that help farmers access loans.

Title 6: Rural Development.  
What it covers: Programs for rural businesses, housing, and infrastructure.

Title 7: Research, Extension, and Related Matters.  
What it covers: Farm and food research and education, such as training for farmers and ranchers.

Title 8: Forestry.  
What it covers: Forest conservation programs.

Title 9:  Energy.  
What it covers: Programs for growing crops for biofuel and helping farmers install renewable energy systems.

Title 10: Horticulture.
What it covers: Farmers market programs, organic farming and certification programs.

Title 11: Crop Insurance.  
What it covers: Subsidies to farmers and private crop insurance companies to protect against losses in crop yield or revenue. 

Title 12: Miscellaneous.  
What it covers: Agricultural labor safety, livestock health, and support for beginning farmers and socially disadvantaged farmers, such as farmers of color and female farmers. 

How much does the farm bill cost?

The total cost of the 2018 farm bill is about $428 billion over the 5-year period 2019–23.

The majority of the farm bill’s funding is for nutrition programs, which accounted for about three-quarters of farm bill spending from 2019 to 2023. 

According to the Congressional Budget Office, the next farm bill is estimated to be the first-ever farm bill to exceed $1 trillion. Nutrition is projected to make up more than 80% of the total farm bill spending. 

What federal programs are authorized in the farm bill? 

The major federal nutrition assistance programs authorized in the farm bill are:

• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly the food stamp program
• The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP)
• Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)
• Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP)
• Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP)
• Seniors Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP)
• Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI)
• Community Food Projects
• The Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP)
  

Why is the farm bill important for ending hunger in the U.S.?

The farm bill impacts hunger in the United States by providing access to nutritious food for millions of Americans struggling with hunger. 

Feeding Families

Hunger exists in the U.S. just as it does overseas. In the U.S., low-income households spend a greater share of their income on food, and more than one in five U.S. children are at risk of hunger. 

Food insecurity is three times higher for children living in Black and Latino households than for children living in white households. Programs included in the farm bill are vital for getting nutritious food to individuals and families so they can live thriving, productive lives. 

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

The U.S. flagship nutrition program and the main vehicle for reducing hunger under the bill is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) – formerly food stamps – which currently serves more than 41 million people. 

Research shows that SNAP is one of our most effective tools in reducing hunger and food insecurity.

SNAP helps families put food on the table but is rarely enough to ensure an adequate amount of healthy food. SNAP recipients, on average, consume lower amounts of fruits and vegetables than the average American. The Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP) is an indispensable enhancement to SNAP by providing additional benefits to purchase fruits and vegetables.

The Emergency Food Assistance Program

Another important program authorized by the farm bill is The Emergency Food Assistance Program, or TEFAP, a federal nutrition program that moves food from farms to food banks to people facing hunger. Through this program, the U.S. Department of Agriculture purchases healthy foods from U.S. farmers for food banks and other organizations to distribute. 

These and other farm bill programs address long-standing nutritional inequities to ensure that marginalized and underserved communities receive nutritious food. 

For example, the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) promotes fresh fruits and vegetables in high-need elementary schools throughout the United States. The Seniors Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) provides low-income seniors with access to locally grown fruits, vegetables, honey, and herbs. The Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) offers a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, frozen meats, whole grains, and traditional foods.

Does the farm bill provide global food assistance?

The farm bill governs both U.S. and global agricultural and food policies and programs. The United States is a leading contributor to global efforts to save lives and relieve suffering among people who confront hunger and malnutrition. 

The farm bill spells out the main ways the United States provides emergency nutrition assistance as well as long-term development support to help communities become more resilient to chronic challenges and sudden shocks. 

Since 1954, U.S. assistance has reached more than 4 billion people in 150 countries.

The main causes of the current global hunger crises are conflict, climate change, and shocks such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The next farm bill offers an opportunity to increase funding for solutions that will reduce hunger and malnutrition for people around the world who are suffering from the impacts of these crises. 

Global food aid comes in three forms: in kind, meaning food shipped from the United States; vouchers to purchase food at local markets; and food purchased from local farmers and distributed to families.

Historically, U.S. food assistance was exclusively in kind. But shipping food from the United States delays the arrival of much-needed supplies, sometimes for months. It also adds significantly to the costs. Meanwhile, people suffering from severe malnutrition urgently need all available resources. 

This is why Bread for the World members have worked diligently over several five-year farm bill cycles to persuade Congress to permit a larger share of food aid to be purchased locally or regionally. These efforts have paid off: In 2020, 59% of U.S.-provided emergency food was purchased locally or regionally – an increase from 11% in 2010.

Important global nutrition assistance programs included in the farm bill are: 

• Food for Peace
  In fiscal year 2022, Food for Peace programs provided $2.6 billion across 31 countries in food assistance to women, children, and communities in hunger hotpots.  
  
  

• The McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program
  This program has enabled food-insecure countries to establish school feeding programs for preschool and primary school children in need, providing 5 billion school meals since it was created 20 years ago.
  
  
• The Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust
  The Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust makes funds available to provide emergency humanitarian food assistance to developing countries.
  
  
• The John Ogonowski and Doug Bereuter Farmer-to-Farmer Program
  This program provides technical assistance to farmers, agribusinesses, and other agriculture sector institutions in developing and transitional countries. 

What is Bread for the World advocating for in the 2023 farm bill? 

The farm bill strengthens nutrition security in the United States by increasing access to healthy food. Bread supports a farm bill that will help build a healthy, equitable, and sustainable U.S. food and agricultural system. 

Bread advocates for measures in the next farm bill that will enhance nutrition, nutrition equity, and sustainability in the United States and globally, including:

• Enhanced global maternal and child nutrition through U.S. food aid initiatives
• Expanded access to SNAP among marginalized populations 
• Equitable opportunities for all food producers 
• Self-governance and food sovereignty for Tribal Nations
• Increased resources for food aid to reach people in crisis as quickly and efficiently as possible
• Funding for programs, research, and policies that address the threat to food security posed by the climate crisis
• Increased support for post-harvest food recovery to reduce food waste and feed people experiencing food insecurity, and reduce the greenhouse gasses that contribute to climate change when food ends up in landfills.

Bread’s advocacy agenda is a result of more than 100 meetings with grassroots advocates and stakeholders, including Black, Hispanic, and Indigenous farmers and food system leaders, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, U.S. Department of Agriculture officials, and local food system leaders. 

In 2023, Bread staff met with congressional offices in leadership positions on Senate and House Agriculture committees and subcommittees to introduce Bread’s farm bill policy team to them and gain insight on what Senate and House members could be expected to prioritize in the farm bill. These meetings and consultations also informed Bread’s farm bill policy platform in 2023. 

The Current State of the Farm Bill

Was the farm bill reauthorized in 2023?

No, Congress missed their September 30, 2023, deadline for passage of a farm bill. 

Debate over the more-than-$1 trillion price tag is part of the reason the farm bill was not reauthorized. Some lawmakers want to cut back on SNAP benefits and initiatives designed to help farmers improve their yields and address climate challenges. There are also disagreements over funding levels for farm subsidy programs.

Reduced funding for SNAP would put more American families at risk of food insecurity.

What happens if the farm bill expires?

If the farm bill expires without a new bill in place or if programs are not granted an extension by Congress, programs face one of three scenarios. Some lose the funding to operate and must shut down. A few key programs, like SNAP, would continue, but others that America’s farmers rely on to sustain their enterprises would revert back to outdated laws from 1938 and 1949 farm bills.

How is the farm bill reauthorized?

The farm bill is reauthorized when it is passed by the House and the Senate and signed into law by the president of the United States. 

Typically, committees in the House and the Senate both draft versions of the bill, then debate and revise them until the bills pass in both chambers. Then the bills are combined and must be voted on and passed by both the House and Senate before being sent to the president.

How can you make a difference in the passage of the farm bill?

Leaders in Congress really do listen to their constituents. Get involved by adding your voice to those calling for the reauthorization of the farm bill. 

Every letter you write to your representatives on Capitol Hill is read and cataloged  – and tells your representative which issues to prioritize. 

Look up your senators and representatives using our free search tool, write them a message and share it with those in your community. 

Conclusion 

The farm bill is our nation’s most important national food system legislation. It is critical to the work of ending hunger at home and abroad.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service (USDA ERS), in 2022, 44.2 million people lived in food-insecure households. The reauthorization of the farm bill is a vital step toward ensuring that Americans – and others around the world – can have access to and afford a healthy, balanced diet. 

Bread for the World encourages U.S. senators and representatives to support a farm bill that will help build a nutritious, equitable, and sustainable U.S. food and agricultural system.

The post The Farm Bill: What It Is and What It Means for Hunger (2023) appeared first on Bread for the World.

The United States needs a government funded through appropriations because this enables critical services to operate around the country. The appropriations process is also necessary for the U.S. to honor its good faith commitments to provide nutrition services and other humanitarian assistance around the world.  

Advocacy by Bread’s grassroots members and constituents helped persuade Congress to reach a last-minute deal to keep the government running, a stop-gap measure called a continuing resolution (CR). The CR passed on September 30 keeps essential government functions and programs, including international food assistance programs, in operation for 45 days. It is not, however, an annual budget produced through the appropriations process. 

Negotiators from the administration and Congress had intended to prevent the near-shutdown crisis of September 30 from happening through the debt ceiling agreement. This agreement, known as the Fiscal Responsibility Act, was signed into law on June 3. It prevented a catastrophic default on the federal debt. It also included negotiated funding levels for the annual appropriations bills—set with the goal of establishing a more coherent path for passing appropriations measures that would enable smooth passage of the U.S budget. 

The U.S. Senate plans to honor the agreement and is sticking to the negotiated spending levels. The House, however, backed away from its commitments under the Fiscal Responsibility Act. It included provisions in its appropriations bills that would have eviscerated funding for critical measures such as Food for Peace and the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education Program. 

House debates on these bills were taking place in the last few days before the end of the fiscal year on September 30, adding to the risk of a government shutdown. Bread’s grassroots members helped to defeat these proposed harmful measures, protecting funding for critical lifesaving programs.

As time was running out for the House and Senate to reconcile their different versions of the appropriations measures, the Senate passed a continuing resolution to avoid a government shutdown. 

The Senate’s posture reflected a bipartisan approach that sought to serve the American people in good faith. The House eventually approved the Senate’s version of the CR. But the brinkmanship cast a shadow of panic and uncertainty over public confidence in the House’s ability to govern as part of the legislative branch and along with the other branches of government. 

Once Food for Peace has been reauthorized as part of the U.S. farm bill and funded through appropriations, its programs will support emergency and long-term development food assistance targeted for vulnerable populations. In fiscal year 2022, Food for Peace programs provided $2.6 billion across 31 countries of food assistance to women, children, and communities in hunger hotpots. 

The McGovern-Dole International Food for Education Program has enabled food-insecure countries to establish school feeding programs for preschool and primary school children in need. Since its creation 20 years ago, McGovern-Dole has provided 5 billion school meals. It has also enabled communities to implement programs that improve nutrition and maternal health in the critical 1,000 days between pregnancy and a child’s second birthday. 

School meals promote education because they encourage families to keep their children, girls and boys alike, in school. They help to boost literacy rates in countries such as Burundi, Cambodia, the Gambia, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mauritania, Tanzania, and Timor-Leste. 

Bread is a faith-based organization focused on promoting human flourishing and dignity by addressing hunger and its root causes, and grassroots leaders have been the backbone of our work for the nearly 50 years of our history. 

Advocates’ passion and commitment to putting their faith into action will remain crucial until Congress passes a budget for fiscal year 2024. The risk of a government shutdown remains since the current CR expires on November 17. 

We must continue to speak out and remind Congress of the global hunger crisis and its responsibility to ensure that the U.S. does its part to save lives and enable people to find ways of earning a living for their families.  

Conflict is driving hunger. Climate shocks are driving hunger as homes, crops, and livelihoods are threatened. The high cost of nutritious food is driving hunger. The 2023 State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) report tells us that 783 million people faced hunger in 2022. In addition, 148 million children suffered from stunted growth and development due to a chronic lack of essential nutrients, and 45 million children suffered from wasting, the most severe and life-threatening form of malnutrition. 

By working in good faith and in a bipartisan way, lawmakers can make sure that U.S. politics no longer serves as another driver of hunger. Congress can meet its obligations by passing an annual budget that provides sufficient resources for the lifesaving global food assistance and nutrition programs our country already has in place. 

Abiola Afolayan is co-director, Policy and Research Institute, with Bread for the World.

The post Ending Hunger Calls for Bipartisan Cooperation in Congress appeared first on Bread for the World.

The proof is apparent via some depressing news, unfortunately. In 2022, the Census report shows, the child poverty rate more than doubled, rising to 12.4 percent, compared to 5.2 percent in 2021. The increase in child poverty was caused mostly by the expiration of improvements to the Child Tax Credit made in 2021 in the American Rescue Plan. As many of our supporters know Bread for the World has been a persistent advocate for these improvements.

Between July and December of 2021, the Child Tax Credit increased from a maximum of $2,000 per child to $3,600 for children under age six, and to $3,000 for children between ages six and 17. Moreover, the credit was restructured to be delivered in monthly installments, rather than a lump sum payment during tax season: $300 per month to the families with children under age 6 and $250 to those with children 6 to 17. Hard to overstate this improvement to what resulted in similar dramatic progress against child hunger in 2021. 

But the most important improvement of all was that the credit was made refundable, allowing it to become available to millions of families who previously earned too little income to qualify. It meant some 18 million children were newly eligible for the full tax credit, including 40 percent of all Black and Latino children, nearly half of all children in single-parent households, and more than one-third of rural children.

As a result of these changes, the Child Tax Credit became a form of universal basic income. You can call it anything you want; universal basic income is simply a recurrent payment—often delivered monthly—and is available to all members of a community with no work requirements or other conditions imposed on the recipients. That’s worth noting because work requirements became the main sticking point in negotiations to extend the improvements to Child Tax Credit beyond 2021.

Hence, it was a short-lived experiment, lasting only six months during the second half of 2021, but it led to an unprecedented reduction in child poverty and child hunger. And then it ended. What members of Congress giveth in 2021, they voted to taketh away in 2022—not all of them, but a majority was all it took to undo. Those 18 million children who benefited in 2021 were no longer eligible for the full tax credit in 2022. 

The postmortems following release of the report emphasized how policies can make a difference in achieving progress against poverty and other hardships. In an op-ed published by Religion News Service, David Beckmann, Bread for the World’s president emeritus, lays this out as well as anybody has. 

Another outcome revealed by the Census report also merits attention. It used to seem axiomatic to call “a job” the best anti-poverty program. (We don’t want to understate the value of steady employment. Earnings make up most of household resources, including for families that are in poverty). Jobs remain necessary to escaping poverty, but they clearly are not always sufficient—and haven’t been for some time. No year tests that theory better than 2022, when the unemployment rate was near historically low levels. Yes, inflation took a bite out of paychecks, but wages were rising for workers at the bottom of the income ladder faster than for workers on rungs higher up. 

It is sad that policymakers for whom work requirements dominate their thinking about addressing child poverty won’t do more to improve jobs for parents who clearly want to provide for their kids. Here are a few examples of policy inaction: The federal minimum wage hasn’t received a raise since 2009, childcare policy lags behind other wealthy countries, and there remains no federal law guaranteeing a right to paid family and medical leave. There are many others, but those alone are enough for an evidence-based indictment of inaction.

So then, it’s not just that policies matter in addressing child poverty. It’s a very particular policy: a form of universal basic income delivered through the Child Tax Credit. 

Public outrage over harmful government actions has a fleeting half-life. The best time to make an issue of the harm done to children by reversing improvements made to the Child Tax Credit is now.

Todd Post is senior domestic policy advisor, Policy and Research Institute, with Bread for the World.

The post The Best Anti-Poverty Program: Give Them Money appeared first on Bread for the World.

“Government shutdowns are bad for everyone, but especially people experiencing hunger. Nearly seven million women, children, and babies are on the verge of losing vital nutrition support if WIC runs out of funds. Nearly 40 million SNAP recipients could lose their food assistance if the shutdown runs past October.

“Bread urges our leaders in Washington to come together to pass a budget agreement that keeps the government open and fully funds WIC, SNAP, international food aid, and other programs that assist people experiencing hunger. We also urge lawmakers to include $1.4 billion in emergency funding for WIC in any short-term agreement.

“We have a responsibility to care for the most vulnerable among us – especially children. Bread urges Congress to take swift action to resolve this situation. As the Bible tells us – do not withhold good from those whom it is due when it is within your power to act. (Proverbs 3:27 NIV).”

Below is a list of ways people facing food insecurity could be affected by a government shutdown:

• Just days after a government shutdown begins the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) will run out of funds. Nearly 7 million women and children who rely on WIC will lose access to this vital nutrition support.
  • WIC serves almost half of all babies born in the United States.
    
• If the shutdown continues past October, roughly 40 million Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients could lose their food assistance.
  
• A prolonged shutdown could also result in the pause of free and reduced-price school meal programs across the country, as well as meals served in Head Start and day care centers. This happened during the 2018 government shutdown.
  • Kids on these programs would lose access to what in some cases is their only nutritious meal of the day.
  • Rural districts with smaller budgets could be hit especially hard.  
    
• In addition, a protracted shutdown could push lower- and middle-income federal employees and military families, as well as government contractors who may not receive back pay, into food insecurity. 

Bread for the World is a Christian advocacy organization urging U.S. decision makers to do all they can to pursue a world without hunger

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At this writing, it is unclear what those cuts would be. But it would be impossible to reduce the national debt significantly without deep cuts to programs for lower-income Americans. President Biden opposes such cuts. 

Exceeding the authorized debt limit would mean that the U.S. government has effectively run out of money. The Congressional Budget Office expects this to happen in June or July if Congress does not raise the debt ceiling.

Nearly everyone would be affected by default on the debt. It would immediately cause a deep recession. Moody’s Analytics, respected worldwide for its financial risk analysis, modeled a default scenario in March 2023. Its results: loss of an estimated 7 million jobs and $10 trillion in household wealth.  

The likelihood of a national hunger crisis and other consequences for ordinary Americans has received far less attention. Here, I’ll describe the implications of default for people who are at risk of food insecurity.  

One in four Americans participates in a federal nutrition program. Groups of people immediately cut off from benefits would include:

• millions of children who receive free school meals 
• half of all babies born in this country, who benefit from the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program, along with their mothers and siblings younger than 5
• participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)—an average of 42 million monthly
• people turning to food banks because much of the food provided is government-funded 

Another group that would be disproportionately affected is the 67 million seniors and people with disabilities who receive Social Security. Their checks would be delayed or simply not issued. Most Social Security beneficiaries report that the benefits are at least half of their income, so even a brief delay could cause hardship. Because Black and Latino seniors live in poverty at 2.5 times the rate of whites, a far larger share of seniors of color would soon run out of grocery money. 

The list goes on: the federal workforce, the nation’s largest employer, and its retirees; many members of the military, who already have high rates of food insecurity; the people whose healthcare bills are paid by Medicare (65 million), or by Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) (more than 91 million people).

Why would members of Congress risk such economic devastation? They argue that the national debt is unsustainable, and something must be done now to reduce it. 

The total national debt – $31.5 trillion – –sounds alarming. The size of the debt has much less of a relationship to the fiscal condition of the government than one might think. As the economy grows over time, the debt will shrink as it did after World War II. Following World War II, the nation was saddled with comparable levels of debt when defined as a percentage of gross domestic product.

It is sometimes said that excessive government debt imposes an unfair burden on our children. But there is no proof of this. Conversely, we have all the evidence we need to show that severe cuts to government programs that pushed more children into poverty would impose a heavy burden for the rest of their lives.

Moreover, there are other strategies that could reduce the national debt and help ease concerns about it. One is very simple: investments in long-term growth of the economy are far more effective and less painful. We have the playbook, too. Investments in the nation’s infrastructure, such as the interstate highway system that were driven by President Eisenhower, a Republican, and embraced by both parties.  President Biden has launched a new era of infrastructure investment, with bipartisan support, that will help spur economic growth. We should avoid drastic austerity measures until these investments have had time to begin paying off.  

Finally, it’s important to understand how the country came to have more than $31 trillion in debt. Much of the debt accrued since 2000 is from one of two things: spending to recover from the Great Recession of 2009-2011 and the COVID-19 pandemic; and tax cuts enacted by Congress. The convergence of all these factors is rare.

The crux of the matter is that neither “option”—default on the debt or deep cuts to essential programs—would help solve a problem that currently faces the United States. 

Reducing the national debt should not take priority over promoting inclusive economic growth and funding nutrition programs and other essential services. It is not necessary to cause a hunger crisis in response to the debt.

Todd Post is senior domestic policy advisor, Policy and Research Institute, with Bread for the World.

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