EPFH Priorities for the 88th Legislative Session

Double the Surplus Agricultural Products Grant in the next biennium-

Inflation rates are increasing the cost of food and fuel, hurting farmers and financially struggling families across the State. This funding allows food banks to continue providing healthy produce to struggling families while also reducing food waste in the state and supporting Texas farmers. Surplus agricultural products grant

Modernize and improve the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), ensuring access to healthy foods and providing a path towards self-sufficiency-

Vehicle Asset Test - Vehicle value limits in SNAP have not been updated in over 20 years. And recent inflation rates have caused families to lose their SNAP benefits. No family should be denied help simply because they own a reliable vehicle. Update the SNAP vehicle asset test

College Hunger - A simple change in policy will allow low-income students in vocational and technical degree programs to access SNAP while they pursue their educational goals. Our workforce depends on students graduating with the skills and training that they need to succeed. Improving short-term food assistance will help these students along their path to economic self-sufficiency. Addressing hunger among college students

Streamline SNAP access for Texans re-entering their communities from the criminal justice system - Ensuring access to food upon release means that people leaving the criminal justice system can focus on securing housing, finding a job, and reuniting with family. Allowing people who are incarcerated to apply for SNAP prior to release, so that benefits can be available immediately upon release, ensures immediate access to food and effectively supports the re-entry process. Steamline SNAP access for Texans re-entering society

* All legislative priorities align with those of Feeding Texas and the Texas Food Policy Roundtable, of which EPFH is a member

EPFH 2023 Farm Bill Priorities

2023 Farm Bill

What is the Farm Bill?

The Farm Bill is a piece of legislation, reauthorized by Congress every 5 years and governs an array of food and nutrition programs. These include but are not limited to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) and the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP). As Congress works to reauthorize the next Farm Bill, which is set to expire on September 30, 2023, the Feeding America network urges lawmakers to strengthen federal nutrition programs. These programs work in tandem with food banks across the country to assist families and individuals facing hunger.

As grocery prices rise and supply chain disruptions continue, food banks alone cannot meet the increased demand for food support. Congress must double down on our nation’s commitment to ending hunger by strengthening critical anti-hunger programs in the 2023 Farm Bill.

Strengthen The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) Funding –
TEFAP is a means-tested federal program that provides food at no cost to individuals in need through organizations such as food banks, food pantries and emergency shelters. A reliable and continuous stream of TEFAP foods is essential, particularly now as the demand for food assistance in our country remains high. TEFAP also has a strong, positive impact on the farm economy. According to the USDA’s Economic Research Service, TEFAP purchases give U.S. growers and producers an average of 27 cents per dollar, compared to about 16 cents per dollar from retail.

Food waste represents lost resources and has negative impacts on the environment. Congress should increase funding for the TEFAP Farm to Food Bank Program, remove the state match, and allow states to prioritize projects for donated food or food purchased at a low cost from local growers and producers. (Link - https://www.feedingamerica.org/our-work/reduce-foo... )

Protect and Strengthen Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) –

Strengthening SNAP benefits will help older adults, people with disabilities, people working low-wage jobs and others who are most likely to qualify for the minimum benefit. Congress should set SNAP benefit levels to match the true cost of food. This is especially important given food price inflation.

Most people on SNAP who can work, do work. For people who are temporarily unemployed, SNAP is one of the few resources available for receiving food support during a job search. Instead of inflexible penalties that provide a one-size-fits-all approach, Congress should adequately fund and improve state employment and training programs, ensure SNAP recipients are offered training opportunities that align with best practices, and remove the time limit on benefits to support participants as they find work.

Current SNAP eligibility rules and enrollment processes can be complicated and confusing. For households with older adults or people with disabilities, enrollment criteria vary widely in implementation and do not reflect mobility, technology access and transportation challenges. Congress should improve and simplify SNAP access, particularly for older adults, college students, and others who face additional eligibility and enrollment barriers.

Reauthorize and Streamline Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) –
Every month, CSFP provides boxes of nutritious food to approximately 760,000 older adults (age 60+) who are low-income. CSFP helps to prevent the health issues often experienced by older adults facing hunger. Congress should streamline reporting requirements to reduce the administrative burden for program participants and increase program efficiency.