Farm Bill - Letter to the Editor

Residents of Fountain Hills, individually and through faith, civic and other organizations, are generous in addressing local, national and international hunger. We support Extended Hands and St. Mary’s Food Banks, pack heat respite lunches, volunteer annually for Food for Kidz and much more. Now, we also can address food systems by supporting key provisions of the omnibus Farm Bill which is up for five-year reauthorization in fall 2023. This legislation not only affects farmers and food producers; it also plays a significant role in addressing hunger in the U.S. and around the world.

As they are in Arizona for August recess, please urge Senators Sinema and Kelly, and Representative Schweikert, to support a farm bill that fully funds the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP – formerly food stamps) without unnecessary obstacles that make it harder to access. SNAP helps one in nine Arizona workers put food on the table.

Please ask them to support incentives that allow SNAP participants to purchase more fresh fruits and vegetables. Arizona’s “double bucks” program demonstrates the health benefits of this incentive; we can extend those benefits nationally through the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP), the cost of which is much less than the expense of treating diabetes and obesity.

Please encourage clear food date labeling provisions. We could eliminate millions of tons of food waste nationally, over 2 million tons in Arizona alone, with updated guidelines.

And please encourage our legislators to reauthorize the Food for Peace global nutrition program at its current level to continue to help millions of people around the world, particularly women and children, to thrive.

We need a farm bill that builds healthy, equitable and sustainable food systems.