Protecting against hunger and promoting nutrition in the farm bill

In addition to setting agriculture policy, the Farm Bill authorizes critical federal nutrition programs that protect millions of people from hunger. SNAP, formerly food stamps, is the nation's frontline hunger-relief program, providing nutrition assistance to over 47 million people. The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) provides nearly 20 percent of the food distributed through Feeding America's national network of food banks. Other programs support community-based strategies for promoting food security. The 2013 Farm Bill will be written at a time when food insecurity and poverty are at historic highs, and at a time when Congress is focused on cutting spending to reduce the nation's budget deficit. The presenter will discuss why the Farm Bill is critical to protecting against hunger and promoting nutrition and highlight opportunities to make progress even at a time of limited resources.