WIC
Immigrants cautious of food assistance in Trump era, experts say
Undocumented immigrants have become cautious of seeking food aid in the Trump era because of fears they could be targeted for deportation, said a panel of food security experts last week in San Francisco.
Poverty rate, at 12.7 percent, finally sinks to pre-recession level
The U.S. poverty rate fell for the second year in a row and, after years of slow economic recovery, it is back to pre-recession levels, the Census Bureau said in an annual report. The nationwide poverty rate for 2016 was 12.7 percent, down by 0.8 points from the previous year; the rural poverty rate – consistently above the urban rate – was 15.8 percent, down by 0.9 points.
Signs of funding cuts for public nutrition in Trump budget
Congress would shear $6 billion from food stamps and the Women and Infants (WIC) food program along with eliminating two overseas food-aid programs, according to data leaked to the think tank Third Way. Proposals to cut farm subsidies and federally subsidized crop insurance in fiscal 2018 also are expected in the Trump administration budget to be released on Tuesday.
White House would end McGovern-Dole school food program for poor
The Agriculture Department would see a 21 percent cut in discretionary spending under President Trump's budget proposal, including elimination of the McGovern-Dole programs that provide food for schoolchildren in poor countries and a grant and loan program for water and sewer projects in rural communities.
Obesity rates fall for pre-schoolers in poor families
A study by the CDC and USDA shows that obesity rates among children ages 2-4 who are enrolled in the so-called Women, Infants and Children nutrition program. Rates are down in 31 states, said the Trust for America's Health, but the average of 14.5 percent is still too high.
Capitol Hill tries to derail rule for healthy foods at food stamp stores
In a fractious election year, lawmakers are united on one issue — blocking USDA's proposal for retailers to stock a greater variety of healthy foods if they want to be part of the $80 billion food stamp program. The Senate Appropriations Committee approved a provision to bar USDA from working on the regulation in the fiscal year opening on Oct. 1, echoing action by House appropriators a month ago.
Republicans say school meal cuts mean higher payments
The Republican leaders of the House Education Committee say they can increase the reimbursement rate for school breakfasts by 2 cents per meal only because they would curtail a provision that allows free meals to all students in low-income neighborhoods. The squeeze on the so-called community eligibility provision has been criticized by anti-hunger groups.
One-third of food-stamp households go to food pantries
USDA data show that 32 percent of households receiving food stamps "still have to visit a food pantry to keep themselves fed," says the NPR blog The Salt.
WIC shifts to electronic benefits nationwide
States will begin a four-year transition to electronic delivery of WIC benefits that total $6.4 billion annually, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced at an anti-hunger conference.
Senate Ag leaders agree on child nutrition update
Ending weeks of back-stage negotiations, Senate Agriculture Chairman Pat Roberts and the panel's senior Democrat, Debbie Stabenow, said they agreed on a bipartisan plan to re-authorize child nutrition programs that cost $22 billion a year. School lunch is the largest part of the programs and was one of the largest obstacles to renewal.
Food assistance ‘not fully solving’ U.S hunger problem
"Hunger is an important problem" in America and public nutrition programs such as food stamps, WIC and school lunch "are addressing ... but not fully solving" persistently elevated rates of hunger, said the co-chairs of the bipartisan National Commission on Hunger.
Vilsack: Healthy school meals, greater access to food are vital
Despite political polarization, Congress should keep child nutrition programs rolling towards healthier school meals and making the food available to more youngsters, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in spelling out his goals for reauthorization of the programs.
Time running out for school lunch, ag bills during fall session
At a news conference today, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will kick off the drive for renewal of child-nutrition programs that almost certainly will miss the Sept. 30 deadline for reauthorization.
USDA revamps supplemental food program
USDA published a final rule, effective in 30 days, in the Federal Register to "phase out the participation of women, infants, and children in CSFP (Commodity Supplemental Food Program) and transition it to a low-income, elderly-only program," as required by the 2014 farm policy law. Women and children will be served by WIC in coming years. A small portion of CSFP enrollment is women and children. They will remain in the program until the children exceed the age of eligibility.
Omnibus bill relaxes whole grain, salt rules for school food
Congress would relax rules that call for schools to use more whole grains and to reduce salt in meals provided to students, according to provisions of a government-wide funding bill. Unveiled on Tuesday night, the bill also calls for USDA to study the nutritional content of vegetables available in the so-called WIC program before removing any of them from the program - a response to complaints that white potatoes were being singled out unfairly.
School lunch fight is delayed until next week
The House won't vote until next week at the earliest on the headline issues for the Agriculture Department funding bill - a waiver of school lunch reforms for some schools and adding whilte potatoes to the WIC food basket.
Senate panel backs school lunch flexibility, not waivers
The Senate Appropriations Committee voted for flexibility in operating the school lunch program, a marked contrast to a House bill to allow waivers for some schools from the reforms written into a 2010 law. Conservatives say the reforms, which require more grains, fruits and vegetables in meals and less sugar, salt and fat, are too costly.
“Outrageous” to backtrack on healthy food, Vilsack says
Ahead of the Senate Appropriations Committee markup today, Ag Secretary Vilsack spoke strongly against expected proposals to change WIC and school lunch rules. "I, for one, find it outrageous to be taking a step back from the commitments we made in 2010," Vilsack said, referring to the reauthorization of child nutrition programs.