A budget proposal from House Republicans, which was passed by the House Budget Committee, is being opposed by the American Soybean Association (ASA) because it would cut spending to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
The House Republicans’ budget would switch SNAP, which used to be known as food stamps, to a block grant-based system on a state-by-state basis. ASA opposes the proposal because of a longstanding opposition of the separation of the nutrition and agriculture components of the farm bill.
“When we talk about maintaining the integrity of programs authorized in the farm bill, we mean all of the programs in the farm bill, including SNAP,” ASA President Richard Wilkins said. “As a policy organization, we encourage the regular evaluation of programs to determine how they can be most effective. But as producers of the nation’s food, we can’t support a proposal that would weaken the ability of Americans in the most need to buy that food.
"As we approach discussions on the next Farm Bill, we need to stand together as a food community. This partnership is critically important for those of us in production agriculture, since only 60 or 70 members of the House identify themselves as representing rural districts. We must ensure that nutrition and farm programs stay united and the decades-old link between the people who grow the nation’s food and the people in need of help to put it on their family tables is preserved.”
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