Monday, July 17, 2023

Rural people among most disadvantaged when it comes to food security

Ximena Bustillo reported a few days ago on negotiation of the Farm Bill and its implications for SNAP--that's the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, a major safety net program aimed at preventing families from going hungry.  SNAP, which is re-authorized and re-negotiated every five years as part of the so-called Farm Bill, has become a political football.  One of the issues is that of work requirements, which Bustillo reports was resolved earlier this year when legislators agreed to changes in those requirements.  Bustillo does not specify what those changes are. 

Here's the part that surprised me in its recognition of the particular burden rural residents face in relation to

Perhaps at most disadvantage are people in rural areas. Parts of the state lack jobs, transportation, broadband and grocery stories, Kraft said, which increases reliance on SNAP and food banks.

Now lawmakers and advocates have a new vehicle for expanded benefits: the 2023 farm bill.
Though it is not linked explicitly to rural populations, Bustillo also reports a "move[ ] to reform the way personal vehicles are taken into consideration for the purposes of SNAP eligibility."

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