Farm Bill impacts everyone in North Dakota, including
our children
Lisa K. Dullum, West Fargo
SNAP,
the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program formerly known as food stamps, is
the front line defense against hunger and food insecurity and is part of the
Farm Bill. At this time, the Senate and the House of Representatives each have
passed a different version of the Farm Bill. The U.S. House of Representatives’
version includes changes to SNAP that could result in more than 1.2 million
people, including children, losing access to critical food assistance each
month. Worse yet, it takes money away from food and families to create a new
bureaucracy and increase paperwork requirements. And it would place unfunded
mandates on state government agencies at a time when states like North Dakota
can least afford it.
Nearly
half of North Dakota’s 53,269 SNAP recipients are children. SNAP kept 6,000
North Dakota children out of poverty in each year between 2009 and 2012. By
providing much needed economic support, SNAP allows families to have sufficient
nutrition during times of unemployment, fluctuating incomes, and low-wage work.
Under
the language in the House Farm Bill, children in households losing SNAP
eligibility might also lose access to free lunch and breakfast at school. Taken
together, it will mean more children going without meals at home and at school.
As an educator, I know that coming to school hungry is one of the most serious
roadblocks to successful learning. And children whose families don’t have basic
food security are much more likely to face other problems at school and are
less likely to grow up to become healthy contributing members to society.
I urge
Congressman Kevin Cramer to support a Farm Bill in conference committee that
looks more like the Senate’s bipartisan version that supports and strengthens
SNAP. Our children and our future are counting on you.
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