Today, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture, Jahana Hayes (CT-05) was joined by Ranking Member Angie Craig (MN-02) and all House Committee on Agriculture Democrats in a letter to Speaker Mike Johnson (LA-04) and Ag Committee Chairman G.T. Thompson (PA-15) expressing serious concerns about the future of a bipartisan Farm Bill and threats to the Supplemental Nutrition Program (SNAP).
The proposed Republican budget framework adopted by the House of Representatives on February 25, 2025, directs the Committee on Agriculture to eliminate $230 billion, which is impossible to do without cutting SNAP funding and putting over 42 million Americans at risk of food insecurity. In the letter, the Committee Members reiterate the need for bipartisan Farm Bill negotiations and to work together to avoid efforts that jeopardize this vital food safety net program.
“At a time when people across the country are struggling with the high cost of groceries, this program helps more than 42 million Americans each month keep food on the table by providing a modest but meaningful $6 per person per day,” wrote the members. “Cuts of this enormity would increase food costs for the typical family of four participating in the program by $175 per month, or $2,100 per year. The fallout would be felt by nearly 17 million children, over 7 million seniors, and 1.2 million veterans that depend on SNAP.”
“Cutting SNAP by $230 billion means taking away $23 billion in income from farmers and ranchers, and adding more uncertainty to an already reeling food supply chain. This will have significant negative impacts on the farmers who grow the food, manufacturers that package it, truckers who distribute it, and stores and small businesses in our communities that sell it. SNAP dollars stimulate the economy; every $1.00 in SNAP benefits generates an additional $1.50 in economic activity. In 2020 alone, SNAP created nearly 45,000 new jobs in supporting industries, including agriculture, manufacturing, transportation, and municipal services. It also supported 200,000 grocery industry jobs with wages totaling more than $6.7 billion. SNAP is particularly impactful in rural communities and small towns, where people participate at higher rates than urban areas, and where SNAP dollars provide even higher returns to the local economy.”
Office of Congresswoman Jahana Hayes
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