Advocacy

Farm Bill

Read an op-ed by Brian Barks, President and CEO of Food Bank for the Heartland, and Michaella Kumke, President and CEO of Food Bank of Lincoln, which ran in the Omaha World Herald on Sunday, June 18 here.

The Farm Bill is the centerpiece federal legislation for food and farming, and it impacts access to nutritious food for the millions of people in America struggling with hunger—including our neighbors across Nebraska and western Iowa. It provides an opportunity for policymakers to comprehensively and periodically address agricultural and food issues. The Farm Bill typically is renewed about every five years—and work is currently underway in the House and Senate for changes to important programs impacting neighbors in the Heartland.

Call to Action: EXTENDED TO FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 2023

The House Ag Committee has created a Farm Bill Portal that will register your comments: Farm Bill Portal. It will remain open through Friday, June 9th. Your input will help shape the drafting of legislation currently underway. Please record your comments this week!

Topics could include any of the following:

Pass a strong Farm Bill to support farmers and people facing hunger.
As a constituent, I am grateful for the many farmers, growers and farm workers who feed our country and are part of the movement to end hunger. Please support them and people facing hunger by passing a strong 2023 Farm Bill that:

• Includes robust nutrition and agriculture funding.
• Maintains the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) funding and authority to support U.S.-grown food through food purchases when the market is disrupted.
• Strengthens The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) to help food banks keep up with the rising need for food assistance and food costs.
• Supports the USDA in balancing the need to be flexible and act swiftly in making food purchases with the need for stakeholder engagement, particularly in the face of rapidly changing agricultural markets.

Strengthen programs to end rural hunger in the farm bill!
Rural communities play a critical part in putting food on tables across the country, yet people in rural communities are more likely to face hunger. Higher rates of poverty in rural communities make it harder for people to afford food, and there may only be a single grocery store—miles or even hours away.

As an advocate, I’m asking you to double down on our nation’s commitment to ending hunger in all communities by strengthening The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) in the 2023 Farm Bill. This includes:

• Reauthorizing and increasing to $500 million per year mandatory funding for TEFAP food purchases, adjusted for inflation.
• Reauthorizing and increasing to $200 million per year discretionary funding for TEFAP storage and distribution.
• Reauthorizing $15 million per year in discretionary funding for TEFAP infrastructure grants.
• Increasing funding for the TEFAP Farm to Food Bank Program, removing the state match, and allowing states to prioritize projects for donated food or food purchased at a low cost from local growers and producers.

Pass a strong 2023 Farm Bill to help people facing hunger!
As grocery prices remain high and supply chain disruptions continue, Congress must come together and provide bipartisan support to people facing hunger. As an advocate, I’m asking you to double down on our nation’s commitment to ending hunger by strengthening critical anti-hunger programs in the 2023 Farm Bill. This includes:

• Reauthorizing and doubling annual mandatory funding for TEFAP food purchases.
• Bolstering the TEFAP Farm to Food Bank Program.
• Increasing SNAP’s purchasing power so benefits align with grocery prices and provide adequate support during tough economic times.
• Streamlining SNAP eligibility and enrollment processes to increase access.
  Providing better support and increased flexibility for individuals seeking employment.
• Reauthorizing and streamlining CSFP to improve the health of seniors in our community.
• Ensuring sovereignty for Native communities to decide which federal nutrition programs are best for them.
• Ensuring parity in food assistance for U.S. territories.
• Ensuring the inclusion of cultural foods in hunger-relief programs.

Permanently expand SNAP Benefits!
At least $2.5 billion in monthly emergency Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are expiring, leaving millions of people feeling the pinch. The extra money from these emergency allotments was a lifeline for families on tight budgets and seniors on fixed incomes. Families are already spending more on groceries with food prices still high–this loss of benefits will have a devastating impact.

You have a chance to help by including strong, permanent and sustainable SNAP provisions in the 2023 Farm Bill. This includes:

• Increasing SNAP’s purchasing power by basing benefits on the Low-Cost Food Plan to bring benefit amounts in line with grocery prices and need.
• Improving SNAP access for older adults, college students, immigrants and others who do not qualify for or are unable to participate in SNAP due to eligibility and enrollment barriers.
• Helping more military families access SNAP benefits by excluding the Basic Allowance for Housing from the gross income calculation for SNAP eligibility.
• Protecting SNAP choice and focusing on ensuring affordable access to nutritious foods.
• Adequately funding and improving state employment and training programs.
• Ensuring people receiving SNAP benefits can access training opportunities that align with best practices.
• Removing the time limit on SNAP benefits to support participants as they find work.

Additional Farm Bill resources
Read more about the Farm Bill here. Learn how the Farm Bill is helping reduce hunger on Feeding America’s website. Feeding America continues to work to protect and strengthen key federal nutrition programs. Some of their priority issues in the bill include: the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), and Food Rescue.

Food Bank for the Heartland and Food Bank of Lincoln team members attend anti-hunger policy conference and fly-in day in D.C.

At the beginning of May, employees from both Nebraska food banks attended the 2023 National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference—co-sponsored by Feeding America and the Food Research & Action Center in cooperation with the National CACFP Forum. Food Bank for the Heartland and Food Bank of Lincoln team members attended content-rich sessions, learned legislative best practices, explored innovative advocacy methods, and formed personal connections to help them better fight hunger throughout our communities.

In addition to attending the conference, the group was also able to attended Capitol Hill Fly-in Day where they were able to directly engage with congressional offices on issues important to food security, ending hunger, and the Farm Bill.

Food Bank for the Heartland staff joins Food Bank of Lincoln and Feeding America on the Hill

As the lame-duck session continues into December, staff members from Food Bank for the Heartland and Food Bank of Lincoln joined Feeding America lobbyists on the hill to discuss important issues in fighting food insecurity across our service area. Funding for programs like TEFAP and SNAP are top of mind, both in the waning days of this session as well as preparation for the new Congress to convene in January. Sharing data concerning the changing landscape of hunger and how federal programs impact everyday citizens in our service area provides context to our delegation members.

White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health

On September 28, 2022, for the first time in over 50 years, the Biden-Harris Administration hosted a conference aimed at influencing the country’s food policies, including those affecting our neighbors in Nebraska and western Iowa. This aligns with the administration’s goal of ending hunger and reducing diet-related disease through the promotion of healthy eating and physical activity in the U.S. by 2030.

The conference featured five pillars:

1. Improve food access and affordability
2. Integrate nutrition and health
3. Empower all consumers to make and have access to healthy choices
4. Support activity for all
5. Enhance nutrition and food security research

These pillars align with the Food Bank’s mission of eliminating hunger in the Heartland by ensuring consistent access to healthy foods through community partnerships.

Click here to learn more about the conference. View the Biden-Harris National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition and Health here. Watch panel sessions for each of the five pillars of the National Strategy here.

In addition to the White House’s resources, USDA released “Leveraging the White House Conference to Promote and Elevate Nutrition Security: The Role of the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS)” to highlight ways FNS is supporting—and will continue to support—the President’s goal and to leverage the momentum of the Conference.

Other ways to make your voice heard

To make progress toward ending hunger in Nebraska and western Iowa, we need to make sure our lawmakers in Washington are fighting for those struggling here in the Heartland. Federal nutrition programs matter here at home. You can help make sure our representatives see how great the need is—call on Nebraska and Iowa lawmakers in Washington D.C. to make ending hunger a priority.

Advocate for a hunger-free America. Click here to learn more about federal nutrition programs and how you can lend your support. Reach out to Congress today and stand up for families struggling with food insecurity. Click here to send a message to your local Congress representative to protect programs like SNAP, which helps millions of Americans.

HF 3 AND SSB 1105 (now SSB 494) — IOWA

The Iowa Senate advanced their bill SSB 494 (previously SSB 1105) along a party-line vote on March 22, 2023. The bill is now on Governor Reynolds’ desk for signature.

SNAP provides a critical lifeline for Iowans. Proposals to restrict access to this resource—such as those included within this bill for Iowans create additional barriers to this important program.

According to Feeding America, 1 in 14 Iowans—including 1 in 9 children—is facing hunger. 

As we learn more about the implications of this legislation we will share here.

Click here to read Brian Barks’ full op-ed from February 2023. Find and contact your Iowa state legislator here.

Thank you for your support!

Many issues impacting hunger relief can be remedied through state level actions—whether legislative or administrative measures. Contact your state legislator and encourage your representative to support Food Bank for the Heartland’s efforts to ensure neighbors who need food can access it. Find your Iowa state senator or representative today.

American rescue plan act (arpa) update — Nebraska

Food Bank for the Heartland is beyond grateful to be awarded ARPA funding intended for food banks. This award is a result of American Rescue Plan Act legislation passed by the Nebraska Legislature in April of 2022 and will allow us to better serve our Nebraska neighbors—who continue to navigate the rising costs of everyday essentials—through the purchase and distribution of nutritious food.

The Food Bank staff is working closely with DHHS to to receive and administer this much-needed funding.

LB 763 – Adopt the Emergency Food Assistance Act (INTRODUCER: SENATOR Wendy DeBoer) — NEBRASKA

This bill proposes $10 million in general fund appropriations each year of the biennium ($20M total) to DHHS to distribute to non-profit organizations that distribute food in 10 or more counties and qualifies for TEFAP by USDA. Eligible expenditures include purchase and distribution of food; infrastructure; food storage; equipment; and, construction for increased capacity.

The hearing date for LB 763 was Friday, March 24, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. before the Appropriations Committee. On May 2, 2023, the Appropriations Committee reported out LB 814 and LB 818. The bills contain language appropriating $10 million federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funds for grants to nonprofit organizations that provide food assistance.

The mainline budget bills passed on Final Reading with the Emergency Clause on May 18 and were presented to the Governor. Governor Pillen delivered several line-item vetoes, but, did not include the funding for DHHS to help address food insecurity across Nebraska in his veto list. We look forward to working with DHHS on details for administration of these funds.

We are grateful for the work of many Senators who recognized the importance of eliminating hunger in the Heartland. In particular, we’d like to thank Senators DeBoer, McDonnell, Vargus, Wishart, and Clements for their assistance. 

LB 661 SNAP – Innovation grants for non-profits fighting food insecurity (INTRODUCER: SENATOR Teresa Ibach) — NEBRASKA

This bill proposes $2.25 million in general fund appropriations to DHHS to distribute to non-profits focusing on programs or projects to fight food insecurity.

The hearing date for LB 661 was Wednesday, February 15, 2023 before the Health and Human Services Committee.

LB 84 SNAP – CLIFF EFFECT/GROSS ELIGIBILITY (INTRODUCER: SENATOR JEN DAY) — NEBRASKA

This bill can help Nebraskans continue to put food on the table as they advance in the workplace, effectively incentivizing Nebraska workers to continue to strive for self-sufficiency and providing a pathway out of government assistance. The cliff effect is considered among the greatest barriers to self-sufficiency for families with low income, as it results in pay raises being rejected, more hours being worked, and fewer people pursuing educational opportunities that may also result in an increase in income.

Thank you to Senator Jen Day for giving LB 84 her priority bill designation. The hearing date for LB 84 was Thursday, March 2, 2023 before the Health and Human Services Committee. The committee advanced the bill to General File on Thursday, April 20, 2023.

The SNAP provisions in LB 84 were amended into LB 227, the Health and Human Services Committee priority bill. The amendment calls for an additional two years before a sunset in 2025, meaning the gross eligibility would stay at 165% of poverty and would not revert to the previous eligibility level. This is good news for families in Nebraska and for those who work with families to apply for SNAP benefits. LB 227 was passed on June 1. Now, the bill awaits Governor Pillen’s signature.

LB 88 SNAP – REENTRY (INTRODUCER: SENATOR MEGAN HUNT) — NEBRASKA

This bill can help Nebraskans in some of their most vulnerable times. When someone has a conviction on their record it can greatly impact their ability to find work, housing, and other essential resources. Food is vital for self-support, sustainability, and successful integration into society. The limitations that currently exist around nutrition assistance for those with drug felonies are cumbersome and confusing for those with dated convictions while simultaneously denying a stable food source for those re-entering the community.

The hearing date for LB 88 was Wednesday, March 15, 2023 before the Health and Human Services Committee.

LB 524 – TAX CREDIT FOR DONATIONS OF FOOD (INTRODUCER: SENATOR JOHN FREDRICKSON) — NEBRASKA

This bill proposes a tax credit for businesses that donate food to pantries, food banks, and food rescue organizations.

The hearing date for LB 524 was Wednesday, March 22, 2023 before the Revenue Committee and was advanced to General File for consideration by the body. On May 23, LB 524 was amended into LB 727—the Revenue Committee package. The amendment adopted provided for the framework for the tax credit to be established. Future work will be required to address the amount of the tax credit. We are grateful to Senator Fredrickson for shepherding this bill through and look forward to working on this issue next session.

On June 1, 2023 the session concluded for 2023. Food Bank for the Heartland appreciates the work of many who advocated for neighbors experiencing food insecurity. We remain committed to working on legislation that will eliminate hunger across the Heartland by ensuring consistent access to healthy foods through community partnerships.

Thank you for your support!

Many issues impacting hunger relief can be remedied through state level actions—whether legislative or administrative measures. Contact your state legislator and encourage your representative to support Food Bank for the Heartland’s efforts to ensure neighbors who need food can access it. Find your Nebraska state senator today.

Local level

Local elected officials are oftentimes closest to the issues we face on a daily basis. Food insecurity is no different. Make your voice heard by connecting with your local officials at the county and city level.

Educate

You can play a vital role in educating the people around you and encouraging them to rethink some of their preconceived notions about food insecurity and the vital programs that are helping to feed people in your community.

How can you do this? Inform your friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers about the issues involved in food insecurity in your community, tell them about the importance of programs like SNAP, child nutrition and other programs, and show them the positive impact Food Bank for the Heartland’s efforts are having on your community. Utilize our advocacy resources to learn more and help spread the word.