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House Ag Committee sees growth opportunities for SNAP in the next farm bill

Members of the House Ag Committee say protecting nutrition assistance programs in the next farm bill could help strengthen America’s food system.

During a subcommittee hearing Wednesday, Don Bacon of Nebraska said he would like to change parts of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. “We have a real opportunity to promote the consumption of healthy foods.  What we’re doing now is not working.”  

But, Representative Jahanna Hayes of Connecticut says SNAP helped lift nearly 3 million people out of poverty in 2020. “It provided economic stimulus to households in every community across the nation supporting local grocery stores, farmers, distributors and creating jobs.  It’s clear that SNAP works. It works for our entire economy from farmers to consumers.”

Mike Beal with the National Grocers Association says SNAP should include additional nutritional incentive programs. “Empowering consumers to purchase healthy fruits and vegetables is a much more successful, long-term strategy to encourage healthy eating than allowing the government to decide which food items a SNAP consumer may purchase.”

Beal is also the chief financial officer for Ball’s Food Stores in Kansas and Missouri.