News

SNAP a farm bill sticking point

Two Democratic members of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee say Republican proposals that would cut funds for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are a hurdle for a new farm bill.

Nikki Budzinski (IL-13^th) tells Brownfield, “A lot of us voted against a farm bill last year because there were $30 billion of cuts to SNAP.”  She says, “Now we’re talking about $230 billion worth of cuts to SNAP over 10 years. This is drastic cuts to people that are working, that are struggling to put food on the table for their kids.”

Eric Sorensen (IL-17^th), who voted in favor of the House farm bill proposal last year, says these types of cuts would have far-reaching impacts on local communities.

“If there’s a cut in SNAP, that means that my local grocery store closes because there’s no people using SNAP at the front checkout counter anymore.”  He says, “That now means that the local produce that’s produced here in Illinois is not gonna make it onto the tables of my neighbors.”

Budzinski says the program benefits far more than just its beneficiaries.

“A dollar of SNAP benefits is about a $1.50 in return in economic growth and impact.”  She says, “And who benefits from that? That’s our growers. Those are the folks that are growing the food in our communities that are helping to provide the food that people are purchasing with their SNAP benefits. So, it’s going to impact our farmers.”

The projected federal cuts could impact as many as 41 million U.S. households that received SNAP benefits last year.  

AUDIO: Rep. Eric Sorensen