Farm Bill Status Update or This Is Not Old Macdonald s Farm Anymore

Transcription

1 Farm Bill Status Update or This Is Not Old Macdonald s Farm Anymore The Farm Bill has not followed anything close to regular order or business as usual in the House during the 113 th Congress. The program, policy and political status of this massive piece of legislation is constantly changing, as Congressional leadership try to work their way through a very polarized Congress. Here is a quick snapshot of the history and current situation. Q. What are some of the nutrition programs in the Farm Bill? The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or food stamps provides supplemental income to purchase food to Americans that make less than $28,000 (for a family of four). The average benefit is $1.48 per meal. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention Grant Program (SNAP-Ed) Many Registered Dietitian Nutritionists lead this program, which operates in all 50 states. The objective of the program is to improve the likelihood that persons eligible for SNAP will make healthy choices within a limited budget and choose active lifestyles consistent with the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans and MyPlate. Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) Primarily serves low-income senior citizens by supplementing their diets with nutritious USDA foods. It provides food and administrative funds to States to supplement the diets of these groups. The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) Supplements the diets of low-income individuals by providing emergency food and nutrition assistance, largely through food banks. Department of Defense Fresh Program Distributes fresh fruits and vegetables to schools and service institutions. Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program Provides low-income seniors with coupons that can be exchanged for eligible foods (fruits, vegetables, honey, and fresh cut herbs) at farmers' markets, roadside stands, and community supported agriculture programs. Healthy Food Financing Initiative Administers loans and grants to improve access to healthy foods in food deserts, improving the health of families and creating and preserving jobs. Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Program Provides free fresh fruits and vegetables to elementary school children throughout the school day in school districts with a high proportion of lowincome students. Community Food Projects Improve community access to food through the development of innovative projects such as school garden programs and urban greenhouse initiatives. Provides grants to incentivize the purchase of fruits and vegetables by SNAP participants ( Double up Food Bucks ). Farm Bill Q and A Page 1

2 Q. Why are nutrition programs, like food stamps, in the Farm Bill? Agriculture and nutrition programs share a long, intertwined history. The Great Depression left nearly one-quarter of Americans unemployed in President Franklin D. Roosevelt created numerous programs to help Americans by helping to meet basic needs. These programs, known as the New Deal, included food assistance to help feed people. This was the foundation that remains today for food stamps. In the late 1970 s, nutrition programs were brought into the Farm Bill as the connection to food production and agriculture was identified. Q. Why should I care about the Farm Bill if I work in clinical practice? One in seven Americans has received benefits from SNAP in the last year. This program is a lifeline for 47 million Americans and for some is their entire food budget. Chances are in your clinical practice you will encounter a person who is or was on SNAP at some point in their lives. Access to safe and healthy food is at the core of what we as RDNs care deeply about. These programs make that possible for millions of families, seniors and children. The devastating impacts of hunger in childhood can last a lifetime. Research shows that hunger weakens a child s immune system and stunts their ability to learn, grow and fight infections. Q. Why has SNAP usage sky rocketed in recent years? SNAP participation has always tracked with the unemployment rate, rising as unemployment and the economy worsened and decreasing when employment picked up. The USDA s Economic Research Service research has shown that since 1980, a one percentage point increase in the national unemployment rate is associated with about one to three million additional SNAP participants. During the 2001 and 2008 recessions, changes in the SNAP caseload were consistent with this pattern. Between 2007 and 2010, as unemployment rose from 4.6 to 9.6 percent, the SNAP caseload expanded by 56 percent, while the number of people in poverty increased by 26 percent. This means people can be employed but living in poverty. During the same period, the number of people in deep poverty (those with incomes below 50 percent of the poverty level) rose by 32 percent. The poverty rate has remained about the same over the last four decades but the population has risen, contributing to increased SNAP participation. Farm Bill Q and A Page 2

3 Q. What is the poverty level for a family of four? A family of four is eligible to receive SNAP benefits if they make collectively less than $29,000/year. The maximum this family of four could receive monthly is $668 in SNAP benefits. Forty-one percent of SNAP households received the maximum benefit 1. Here is a Sample Monthly Budget for a SNAP Recipient which provides a clearer picture of expenses. The table below gives one example of the very modest circumstances under which a family must live in order to qualify for SNAP. Adapted from the McDonalds Practical Monthly Budget Journal for a Family of 4 Assumptions: 1. National averages are used to determine rent, and utility costs etc.; 2. Income is based on minimum wage ($7.25/hour) working 40 hours/week Monthly Net Income Income (Job 1) $1105 Income (Job 2) $955 Monthly Net Income $2060 Monthly Expenses Savings $100 Mortgage/Rent (possibly subsidized if in an urban $700 area, or average in area where cost of living is low) Car Payment $150 Car/Home Insurance $100 Healthcare (including insurance) $200 Heating $50 Cable/Phone $100 Electric $90 Transportation $200 Childcare (subsidized) $150 Groceries $600 Monthly Expenses $2440 Difference $380 1 U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service. Characteristics of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Households: Fiscal Year Table A.14. November Farm Bill Q and A Page 3

4 Q. I heard people who are on SNAP are on it for many years Who is a typical SNAP recipient? The typical SNAP recipient is on the program for an average of 10 months, and almost two thirds of SNAP recipients are children, the elderly or disabled 2. 83% of SNAP households have gross income at or below 100% of the poverty guideline ($19,530 for a family of 3 in 2013), and these households receive about 91% of all benefits. 61% of SNAP households have gross income at or below 75% of the poverty guideline ($14,648 for a family of 3 in 2013) 3. Q. Don t most people receiving SNAP buy nutrient-empty foods better known as junk food? Walmart has shared some of the aggregate purchase data of SNAP customers. The top purchases include: bananas, whole milk, 2% milk, 2 Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Policy Basics: Introduction to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Accessed July 23, 2013 at 3 Feeding America. SNAP (Food Stamps): Fact, Myth, and Reality. Accessed on July 23, 2013 at Farm Bill Q and A Page 4

5 ramen, hot dogs, mac and cheese, jiffy corn bread mix, bottled water (24 pack), canned tuna in water SNAP recipients spend over 85 percent of benefits on fruits and vegetables, grains, dairy, meat, and meat alternatives. The purchasing patterns of SNAP households mirror those of other low and moderate income households 2. Q. How do Academy members help SNAP families make healthy food choices? The SNAP-Ed program, in each state, supplies quality nutrition education and community support to SNAP recipients. SNAP-Ed facilitates eating healthy, on a limited budget, by providing effective education on food procurement, food preparation, and food safety. SNAP-Ed employs many Registered Dietitians across the country. Q. Do people who receive SNAP have to work? The majority of SNAP participants that can work do. SNAP is designed to support children, elderly, disabled individuals and those that are struggling to get by while still working. The number of SNAP households that have earnings while participating in SNAP has been rising for more than a decade, and has more than tripled from about 2 million in 2000 to about 6.4 million in Most SNAP families with children have at least one working adults in the household. From the graph below we see that the SNAP program is helping families that have lost a job in the past year, or are under-employed. An example of under-employment is when one wage-earner in a two-parent family lost a job, when a worker s hours were cut, or when a worker turned to a lower-paying job after being laid off. (Center on Budget and Policy Priorities Farm Bill Q and A Page 5

6 Q. Why have I not heard of SNAP-Ed in my state? Most SNAP-Ed programs use other names to be more consumer friendly for participants. There are hundreds of names for SNAP-Ed programs. Here are just a few: Urban Nutrition Initiative Eat Smart Play Hard Live Like Your Life Depends on It Cooking Matters Simply Good Eating Network for a Healthy California Cooking Matters Eating Right is Basic Nutrition Education Jump Into Foods and Fitness Nutrition Education for Youth Nutrition Education and Physical Education Working Together to Reach Students Project FRESH Senior Project FRESH Show Me Nutrition Education for Youth SPLASH Shaping Positive Lifestyles & Attitudes through School Health Simply Good Eating Cooking Matters Go Wild with Fruits and Vegetables Simply Good Cooking I CAN Prevent Diabetes Farm to School The Steps to Health BASICS Pick a Better Snack campaign All 4 Kids Eagle Adventure Eat Well Play Hard Q. For how many months can an unemployed able-bodied adult without dependents receive SNAP benefits within a three year period? Three months Q. What is the delay in passing the Farm Bill? Typically the Farm Bill authorizes a mix nutrition, conservation, research and farm programs and is reauthorized every 5 years. If following the 5 year cycle, the Farm Bill should have been reauthorized last year but a one-year extension was passed instead. Regular order would have had two parallel paths in the House and Senate. House & Senate Regular Order A bill is drafted/debated/voted on in the Agriculture Committees in the Senate and House The bill is debated/voted on the Floor in the Senate and House If different versions are passed then a Conference Committee is formed to work through the differencesthis new Conference Committee bill is then voted on in both the House and SenateIf passed the bill goes to the President which he can veto or approve. The Senate passed a traditional bill that contains both the agriculture and nutrition programs. The House passed a bill that excludes the nutrition title. Before moving ahead to a Conference Committee the nutrition title must be dealt with in the House, or the House must accept the Senate s nutrition title. Q. Doesn t SNAP, including SNAP-Ed, have assured mandatory funding? The program must be funded whether it is reauthorized through the Farm Bill or not. The program must also go through the appropriations process, which without a reauthorization in the Farm Bill makes it extremely vulnerable to drastic cuts to the program. Farm Bill Q and A Page 6

7 Q. What is our position on splitting the Farm Bill? The Academy supports a single Farm Bill that includes farm, conservation and nutrition assistance where food and health are at the center of the legislation. Policies and programs in one title impact policies and programs in other titles, making their comprehensive consideration important to creating sound legislation. Q. What can we do as Academy members? The Academy is closely monitoring the happenings in the next few weeks on the Farm Bill. Reviewing some of the stories of SNAP recipients is a good way to study the real life impacts of this important nutrition assistance program. Our partner, Share our Strength, has compiled many compelling SNAP stories here. Another good way to understand the impacts of nutrition programs is to talk about the Farm Bill with your members of Congress and the impact these programs have on families, communities and our profession. During the August recess the Academy is encouraging AND members to reach out to their Congressman. Below are a few quick ways to do this: CALL/ Call or your members of Congress! Use the talking points below to explain the importance of SNAP and SNAP-Ed, along with other nutrition programs. How To: If you need help identifying your Representative, visit You can call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at (202) to be connected to the office you request. For , all members have a web site and usually list their address there. Once connected to your member of Congress s office, ask for staff that is working on the Farm Bill use the Talking Points below to guide your discussion (or ) about the nutrition programs and in particular SNAP-Ed. If you are directed to voic these few sentences convey our top line priorities. Hello, my name is, and I am a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and constituent. I am calling today to urge you to support nutrition programs, including SNAP, SNAP-Nutrition Education, in the Farm Bill. As a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist I believe that providing a strong food safety net is vital to the health of millions of Americans. I also believe that providing nutrition education, through the SNAP-Nutrition Education program, that empowers families to make healthy choices on a limited income is a wise investment for our country s healthcare costs. Please feel free to contact me at WRITE At this point in the Farm Bill debate, members really need to hear from you as a constituent about the importance of protecting nutrition programs like SNAP and SNAP-Ed. Take a minute to send an to your member of Congress. Another option is to send a letter to your local paper. Members read those papers as do their staffers to determine what constituents are concerned about. A Letter to the Editor (LTE) or an Op Ed Farm Bill Q and A Page 7

8 placed in your local paper is a good way to put the spotlight on SNAP-Ed. See the Resources section below for info on LTEs and Op Eds. How To: Look at your local paper for instructions on how to submit a LTE or an Op Ed. If it is not clear, call the paper. Get tips from others in your community who have gotten articles or LTEs placed. Share our Strength has a sample LTE that you can be found here. Enter your zip code to gain access. A sample LTE and Op Ed to protect vital nutrition programs will be sent to you in mid-august, and posted on the PPC COI. TWEET If you have a twitter handle and only have a few minutes but want to get involved, tweeting may be just for you. ALWAYS use the hashtag: #SNAP and #SNAPEdWorks. That makes it easier to track the SNAP and SNAP- Ed chatter. If you choose to your Congressman please keep the tweets positive in nature. Sample tweets: We all agree #SNAP & #SNAPEdWorks for [then list your Congressional district here like MI s 1 st ] YOU CAN LOOK UP YOUR CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT SNAP USAGE HERE Please support #SNAPEd and #SNAP in the #FarmBill. #SNAPEdWorks #SNAPWorks #SNAPEdWorks to build knowledge, reach millions, and secure our country s health investment. Good nutrition + exercise = health. #SNAPEdWorks to improve all three. Nearly half of SNAP participants are kids protect SNAP and SNAP-ED #SNAPWorks #SNAPEdWorks #RDChat What is your #SNAP IQ? OTHER RESOURCES An easy-to-understand fact sheet on SNAP-Ed from SNEB, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and Share Our Strength. The Food Resource and Action Council has list of SNAP usage by Congressional district - Take the Feeding America A Good Advocate is an Informed Advocate SNAP Quiz to see how much you or your elected official know about SNAP! The Health Impact Project s white paper that examines the potential health impacts and healthrelated costs of proposed changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) - Farm Bill Q and A Page 8

9 Share Our Strength has a host of resources and ways to take action, including sample Letters to the Editor, Blog Posts, sample meeting requests, and lots more. Check them out at Farm Bill Nutrition Programs Talking Points A Fiscally Smart Farm Bill Makes Sense for Communities SNAP-Ed provides evidence-based nutrition education that improves the food choices and lifestyle of SNAP participants. For every $5 in new SNAP benefits this generates a total of $9.20 in community spending. The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program increases children s fruit and vegetable consumption by 15%, without increasing their energy intake. This means kids are eating fruits and vegetables instead of other, potentially less healthy foods. Federal investment in food, nutrition, agriculture and environment research (Title VII) is vital in order to guide sound environmental, agriculture, economic and social decisions. Support a Farm Bill that: Retains funding for Fiscal Year 2014 SNAP-Education (SNAP-Ed) to empower SNAP recipients to make healthy food choices. o During the fiscal cliff agreement this program s Fiscal Year 2013 budget was cut by 28%, which will result in decreased services. Continues funding for: o The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP provides monthly benefits to eligible low-income families used to purchase food. The goal of the program is to alleviate hunger and malnutrition by increasing food purchasing power o o o o o The Commodity Supplemental Food Programs (CSFP) a nutrition program that benefits families using USDA commodity foods The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) that provide nutritious foods for food banks and help families stretch food dollars; The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) so school children eat more fruits and vegetables to reduce chronic disease; Agriculture Research (Title VII) for evidence-based research to drive decisions; Senior Farmers Market promotion programs that improve access to fresh produce for seniors. The Farm Bill - Specific SNAP-EducationTalking Points To know before you make your pitch, SNAP-Ed is known by different names across the country. Make sure you know the correct terminology in your state. SNAP-Ed optimizes the investment we make in the SNAP program and makes SNAP dollars go farther Farm Bill Q and A Page 9

10 Healthy eating is a learned skill. SNAP-Ed teaches it. SNAP-Ed is not just posters, pamphlets and magnet. It focuses on behavior change not just knowledge (cite some specific examples of SNAP Ed in action like: o Lareese is a busy mother of two. She took SNAP-Ed classes at her community center. Her SNAP benefits now last up to a week and a half longer and she s buying healthier food. This little thing is three gulps and you ve had 25 grams of sugar! Lareese exclaims, about an 8 oz. bottle of mango soda. The program has changed my life, she says. Smart grocery shopping and healthy cooking can save a family ~$46,000 in lifetime healthcare costs and wages lost to sick days per adult family member. Nutrition education can help build food skills. Nearly 40% of SNAP-Ed participants say the program helped them reduce the number of days their families faced food insecurity during the month. [2009 nationwide SNAP-Ed results] Demand for education about eating healthy on a SNAP budget is high - 85% of low-income families rate healthy eating as important, and 8 in 10 cook most nights of the week, according to the No Kid Hungry campaign s Cooking Matters program, which relies on SNAP-Ed funds. In many regions, SNAP-Ed funds leverage partnerships that can up to double the programming power of this already efficient and effective program. Farm Bill Q and A Page 10