In a Farm Bill year, organizations nationwide are vying to make their voices heard – including those aiming to reduce hunger. In South Dakota, an estimated 75,000 people experience hunger, and one in six of those are children.
Feeding South Dakota wants residents - and politicians - to remember the place of nutrition programs in the massive Farm Bill.
Stacey Andernacht is communications director with the organization. She said the Farm Bill is about more than just cows and corn.
“About 70% of the current Farm Bill’s budget was towards nutrition programs, and that’s really important to us because those nutrition programs provide funding for the food we distribute, but also for food assistance programs like SNAP,” Andernacht said.
Andernacht said that funding doesn’t go unused.
“About 30% of the food we distribute annually is funded by the Farm Bill and their USDA commodity programs. Part of it is the Farm Bill only renews every five years," Andernacht said. "So, you get a chance only once every five years to bring forward the things that are important.”
Andernacht said Feeding South Dakota is focusing on the human impact of hunger.
Source: sdpb.org
Categories: South Dakota, Government & Policy