This week, Congress passed the farm bill (H.R.2) with broad bipartisan support. The final bill preserves U.S. domestic and international food programs and does not include the drastic cuts proposed in earlier versions of the bill.

The farm bill protects and strengthens domestic nutrition programs including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The bill includes additional funding for employment and training pilot programs for older Americans, those formerly incarcerated and individuals with substantial barriers to employment. It also allows healthcare providers to give prescriptions to low-income people to buy fresh fruits and vegetables.

On the international side, the farm bill makes a key reform in the Food for Peace program. The bill eliminates a requirement to sell U.S. food commodities overseas to pay for lifesaving food and nutrition security programs – a practice which has cut about $70 million from food aid each year. The bill also allows the McGovern-Dole Food for Education program the flexibility to purchase from local farmers and food markets, improving the nutritional quality of the food served to children participating in the program.

At Rise Against Hunger we welcome the passage of this bill and look forward to continuing our fight to end hunger by 2030 in the new year.

To learn more about Rise Against Hunger’s advocacy efforts, sign up to be a Hunger Champion and join us as we raise our voices to end hunger.

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