Coalition on aging issues farm bill statement
November 12, 2013 | 06:18 PM
A coalition of 34 groups organized by the National Council on Aging and Feeding America has sent farm bill conferees a letter urging no cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, better known as SNAP or food stamps, and its education program and also urging changes to commodity distribution programs.
“Many of our most vulnerable seniors would be impacted by proposed SNAP and SNAP-Ed cuts, losing vital nutrition assistance and placing them at greater risk of poor health; thus we oppose cuts to SNAP and SNAP-Ed in the farm bill,” the groups wrote.
They also noted that the Commodity Supplemental Food Program has become mostly a program of distribution to seniors and that they support making it seniors-only.
The groups also said they support a provision in the House farm bill increasing funding for the The Emergency Food Assistance Program known as TEFAP by $300 million per year.
“Many of our most vulnerable seniors would be impacted by proposed SNAP and SNAP-Ed cuts, losing vital nutrition assistance and placing them at greater risk of poor health; thus we oppose cuts to SNAP and SNAP-Ed in the farm bill,” the groups wrote.
They also noted that the Commodity Supplemental Food Program has become mostly a program of distribution to seniors and that they support making it seniors-only.
The groups also said they support a provision in the House farm bill increasing funding for the The Emergency Food Assistance Program known as TEFAP by $300 million per year.
