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By Brett��Weisel, Director of Advocacy for Feeding ����Ӱҵ

Earlier this month, Congress passed a new Farm Bill that enacted sweeping changes to agriculture, nutrition, and conservation policy in the U.S.�� Feeding ����Ӱҵ.�� Feeding ����Ӱҵ fought long and hard to protect and strengthen hunger-relief programs in the Farm Bill.�� Why?�� Because they play a critical role in advancing our mission of a hunger-free ����Ӱҵ.

While we were successful in preventing most of the deep cuts and harmful policy changes to SNAP, one cut did make it into the final bill.�� By changing the so-called “Heat and Eat” policy that allows low-income ����Ӱҵns to get additional SNAP benefits if they pay a significant portion of their monthly expenses on heating costs.

• 850,000 SNAP recipients will lose an average of $90 in monthly benefits in 15 states and the District of Columbia.��
• The $8.6 billion cut amounts to 3.2 billion lost meals over 10 years and is the second reduction to SNAP benefits in the last year.��
• That’s real food for struggling ����Ӱҵns.

It is often difficult to understand how these complicated policies in Washington affect you and your community, but the bottom line is this: any reduction to SNAP will make our vision of a hunger-free ����Ӱҵ more difficult to attain.�� That is why your voice is so critical, and why we fight so hard to make sure Congress makes the right decisions.��

Want to help?�� Help us educate your Members of Congress����to see what hunger looks like in their community first hand.

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