2013 U.S Poverty Health and Nutrition Campaign
Protect SNAP in the Farm Bill and
Deficit Reduction
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Protecting Key Nutrition Programs
Dimensions of U.S. Hunger and Food Insecurity
 14.9 percent of
 5.7 percent with very low
households were food
food security.
insecure at least some
 An increase from 5.4
time during the year
percent in 2010,
(over 50 million people).
returning to the level
observed in 2008-09.
We have not yet reached an economic recovery that
delivers more food security.
USDA ERS Household Food Security report on 2011
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Protecting Key Nutrition Programs
Dimensions of U.S. Hunger and Food Insecurity
 One in seven Americans, a record
47.8 million people received SNAP
in December 2012.
 Food banks and food pantries
were able to provide only 4 to 6 percent of the
total need.
 85 percent of SNAP households have income
below the poverty line.
USDA's profile of SNAP
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Protecting Key Nutrition Programs
SNAP is highly effective and responsive to changes in the economy
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Protecting Key Nutrition Programs
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Protecting Key Nutrition Programs
SNAP Benefits the Most Vulnerable
 47 percent of all
participants are 18 or
younger and about half of
all households receiving
SNAP include at least one
child.
 Households with children
receive 71 percent of all
SNAP benefits.
USDA's profile of SNAP
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Protecting Key Nutrition Programs
Impacts of Hunger and Food Insecurity on Children
• More than 1 in 5 children in the U.S. (16.7 million) are food
insecure.
• Effects of hungry children:
– more likely to develop frequent illnesses and infections.
– associated with an increased incidence of behavior
problems in adolescents.
– limit a child’s ability to understand basic skills and reduce
overall learning potential.
– More likely to have repeated a grade in school.
FRAC; LSU Ag Center; USDA ERS Household Food Security report on 2011
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Protecting Key Nutrition Programs
 SNAP lifted 4.7 million people,
including 1.7 million children, out of
poverty in 2011.
 A recent study shows SNAP reduces
food insecurity in children by 20
percent and poor health by 35 percent.
 SNAP is good for the economy – in an
economic downturn, SNAP generates
$1.79 in economic activity for every $1.
 SNAP is one of the most effectively run
federal programs with a 96 percent
accuracy rate.
 Estimates are that SNAP spending will
peak in 2013 and then decline.
CBPP research
SNAP works!
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Protecting Key Nutrition Programs
SNAP and the Farm Bill
 The Senate Farm Bill (S.954)
 $4.1 billion in cuts to SNAP over ten yrs (“Heat and Eat” programs)
 Nearly 500,000 households would see benefits cut by avg $90/mo
 Sen. Gillibrand (D-NY) amendment to undo cuts was defeated
 Bill passed on June 10, 66-27
 The House Farm Bill (H.R.1947)
 $20.5 billion in cuts to SNAP over ten years
 “Cat El” cut = 2 million people off plus 210,000 children lose free
school meals (impacts 40 states and DC)
 Heat and Eat cut = 850,000 households benefits cuts by avg $90/mo
 Bill defeated on June 20, 195-234 (amendments on drug testing and
work requirements were last straw)
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Protecting Key Nutrition Programs
SNAP and the Farm Bill
 House passed new Farm Bill on July 11
 Excludes SNAP and other nutrition programs
What’s Next?
 House passes SNAP bill with much deeper cuts and try to real a deal
 Senate replaces House Farm Bill with Senate bill and sends it back
 House uses debt ceiling and budget negotiations this fall to ransom
cuts to SNAP
 Important to remember: SNAP benefits will automatically decline
on November 1, 2013 when the ARRA boost ends
 Households would see average drop of $20-25/month
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Protecting Key Nutrition Programs
2013 SNAP Request
House and Senate: Protect and strengthen SNAP and
oppose harmful policy changes to the program in any
final Farm Bill or other legislation.
Senate Key Players:
• Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Senate Ag Committee Chair
• Thad Cochran (R-MS), Senate Ag Cmte Ranking Member
• Harry Reid (D-NV), Senate Majority Leader
House Key Players:
• Frank D. Lucas (R-OK-3), House Ag Committee Chair
• Collin C. Peterson (D-MN-7), House Ag Cmte Ranking Member
• John Boehner (R-OH-8), Speaker of the House
• Eric Cantor (R-VA-7), House Majority Leader
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Protecting Key Nutrition Programs
EPIC Laser Talk:
Protect Hungry Children and Families
Engage:
Nearly 1 in 4 children in the U.S. (22.4 %, 16.6 million) are at risk of
going to bed hungry tonight. Studies show that children who are
regularly hungry struggle in school, suffer from weakened immune
systems, slowed and abnormal growth, and anemia.
Problem:
Unfortunately, Congress is proposing drastic cuts to SNAP (food
stamps), which could force millions off the program and increase
hunger in America.
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Protecting Key Nutrition Programs
EPIC Laser Talk:
Protect Hungry Children and Families
Inform/Illustrate:
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly
food stamps) is the first line of defense against hunger in
America. The U.S. Census reports that SNAP lifted 4.7 million
people out of poverty in 2011. SNAP is an efficient, responsive
program that supports children, working parents, people with
disabilities, and seniors. It also boasts once of the highest
accuracy and lowest fraud rates. Why are we talking about
cutting a program that is successfully helping tens of millions of
low-income Americans put food on the table each month?
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Protecting Key Nutrition Programs
EPIC Laser Talk:
Protect Hungry Children and Families
House Call to Action: Will you speak with House leadership along
with House Agriculture Committee Chair Frank Lucas and Ranking
Member Collin Peterson and urge them to protect and strengthen
SNAP and oppose harmful policy changes to the program in any
final Farm Bill or other legislation?
Senate Call to Action: Will you speak with Senate leadership
along with Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow
and Ranking Member Thad Cochran and urge them to protect and
strengthen SNAP and oppose harmful policy changes to the
program in any final Farm Bill or other legislation?
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Protecting Key Nutrition Programs
WIC Helps Moms, Infants, and Toddlers
Get a Strong Start on Life
 A preventive program providing
low-income pregnant women,
new mothers, infants and
children with:
o nutritious foods
o nutrition education
o improved access to health
care
 In 2011, more than 9 million women, infants and children relied on
the WIC program every month: 4.8 million children, 2.1 million
infants, and 2.1 million women.
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Protecting Key Nutrition Programs
WIC Under Fire
 WIC is a discretionary program and subject to sequestration
 5 percent cut in 2013
 Estimated 600,000 mothers and children will lose access to
WIC services in 2013
 House Appropriations Committee approved its Agriculture
Appropriations bill in June
 Cuts WIC by $415 million
 202,000 women and children would lose services
 Senate Ag Approps Subcommittee has not marked up bill yet
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Protecting Key Nutrition Programs
Nutrition Resources
•
RESULTS: www.results.org
•
Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, Charts on SNAP:
http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=3744#
•
Find SNAP state fact sheets: http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=3886
•
Bread for the World’s fact sheet:
http://www.bread.org/ol/2012/domestic-nutrition/pdf/domestic-nutrition-q-and-a.pdf
•
USDA’s “Building a Healthy America: a profile of SNAP:
http://www.fns.usda.gov/ora/MENU/Published/SNAP/FILES/Other/BuildingHealthyAmerica.pdf
•
USDA’s Economic Research Service “Household Food Security in the United States in 2011”:
http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/err-economic-research-report/err141.aspx#.UcCyTtgsay1
•
Feeding America “Hunger and Poverty Statistics”:
http://feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/hunger-facts/hunger-and-poverty-statistics.aspx
•
Food Research and Action Center “SNAP/Food Stamp Eligibility”:
http://frac.org/federal-foodnutrition-programs/snapfood-stamps/eligibility/
RESULTS/RESULTS Educational Fund
1730 Rhode Island Ave NW, Ste 400
Washington DC 20036
RESULTS Economic Opportunity Campaign Contacts:
Meredith Dodson, dodson@results.org, (202) 782-7100, x116
Jos Linn, jlinn@results.org, (515) 288-3622
www.results.org