FRAC News Digest - April 15, 2005

The weekly Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) News Digest highlights what's new on hunger, nutrition and poverty issues at FRAC, at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, around the network of national, state and local anti-poverty and anti-hunger organizations, and in the media. The Digest will alert you to trends, reports, news items and resources and, when available, link you directly to them.

Issue 15, April 15, 2005

Ag Secretary Calls Food Program Cuts a "Tough Sell"
Presentations from Anti-Hunger Policy Conference Online
U.S. Income Gap Among Worst of Wealthy Nations
Percent of Obese Americans May Have Peaked
Working Poor Take Less Sick Time
New Icon to Promote Nutrition Guidelines
School Nutrition Association Announces New Staff Vice President of Government Affairs
Oregon: Governor Calls for More Summer Food Programs
Oregon: One in Three Lan County Children Uses Emergency Food
Pennsylvania: Town Meeting Gives Overview of Food Stamps
Florida: Food Stamp Applications to Go Electronic
California: Food Stamps Go Underutilized
Connecticut: Agency Steps in to Help Food Stamp Applicants
Pennsylvania: Minimum Wage Should Match the Region's
North Carolina: Radio Station to Air Series on Poverty
Oregon: Student Organization to Feed Hungry Students
Missouri: Governor OKs Extra Spending for Food Stamp Call Center

1. Ag Secretary Calls Food Program Cuts a "Tough Sell"

("Ag secretary: Cutting food stamps isn't good for programs," Des Moines Register, April 10, 2005)

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said it would be a "very tough sell" to cut food programs for the neediest Americans as a result of not taking cuts elsewhere. He warned that cutting the food stamp program more than the relatively small amount he says that the administration has proposed would undermine public support for farm programs. "I have enough of a public background to tell you that that's the kind of thing that all of a sudden you start reading stories on the front page about how a very needy family has been impacted in the food they eat," he said. The House and Senate are trying to reach an agreement on how much to cut Agriculture Department spending. Lawmakers say some of the cuts will come out of nutrition and conservation programs, and some are opposing reductions in farm subsidies. Secretary Johanns said he still believes Congress will pass new limits on the amount of subsidies that individual farmers and landowners can receive.

http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050410/NEWS/504100320/1001

2. Presentations from Anti-Hunger Policy Conference Online

(FRAC/America's Second Harvest/National CACFP Forum National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference 2005)

Selected presentations from the 2005 FRAC/America's Second Harvest/National CACFP Forum National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference are now available online. The theme of this year's conference was "Preserving and Improving the Federal Nutrition Safety Net." Presentations covered the federal food and nutrition programs, the fight over budget cuts in food stamps and other human needs programs, CACFP, using data for advocacy, EITC outreach, and numerous aspects of food stamps, school breakfast and lunch, afterschool and summer food, obesity, and technology.

http://www.frac.org/Conference/2005/

3. U.S. Income Gap Among Worst of Wealthy Nations

("It's better to be poor in Norway than in the US," Christian Science Monitor, April 14, 2005)

Even though Americans on average have a higher standard of living than those in almost all other rich countries, the poor in America fare worse than the poor people in almost all other industrialized countries. The cause is unequal distribution of income in the U.S. Among 30 prosperous nations, the U.S. ranks third from the bottom in income equality. Only Russia nd Mexico have a greater maldistribution of income. America does "far less on the social side. We have not as good a safety net. The priorities aren't there," says Timothy Smeeding, a public policy professor at the Maxwell School of Syracuse University, who compiled the inequality numbers. Poor U.S. children are at a "serious economic disadvantage" compared to their peers in other nations. Without a stronger governmental safety net, the nation faces "a rough future," says Smeeding. Disadvantaged children "will be a drag on themselves and on our whole economy."

http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0414/p17s02-cogn.html

4. Percent of Obese Americans May Have Peaked

("Has the Obesity Epidemic Peaked?" Harris Interactive, March 31, 2005)

The proportion of Americans over age 25 who say they are overweight in a Harris poll, after rising for many years, fell from 80 percent in 2002 and 2003 to 76 percent in 2004 and 77 percent this year. Similarly, the percent of obese adults over age 25 has fallen --- from 33 percent in 2002 and 2003 to 30 percent in 2004 and 2005. The decreases seem to suggest the obesity epidemic has peaked. However, small sampling and measurement errors in any one year can obscure or create the illusion of change. When looking at five-year averages, the data do not yet show that the obesity epidemic has peaked. Nevertheless, the 2004 and 2005 surveys are encouraging because they show the lowest percent of overweight people since 2001, and the lowest percent of obese people since 1999.

http://www.harrisinteractive.com/news/allnewsbydate.asp?NewsID=908

5. Working Poor Take Less Sick Time

("Study: Working poor use less sick time," The Washington Times, April 5, 2005)

Low-income workers are less likely than better-off employees to take sick days, a Purdue University study found. The study, "Too Poor to Get Sick?" surveyed 2,490 African-American, Mexican-American, Puerto Rican and White Chicago residents with annual household incomes of less than $15,000. More than 75 percent had jobs. The results show that "because of economic hardship, some poor people cannot afford to become sick."

http://washingtontimes.com/upi-breaking/20050405-122314-5732r.htm

6. New Icon to Promote Nutrition Guidelines

("When a Food Marketer Devises Nutrition Advice" The New York Times, April 10, 2005)

The public relations firm, Porter Novelli, has received USDA funding to create an icon to help Americans interpret the recently released dietary guidelines. When the guidelines first came out in January, Porter Novelli used them to promote some of its food company clients' products. Now the firm is designing an icon to replace the food pyramid and some nutritionists and public health advocates worry about subtle ways the message could be shaped. The nutrition guidelines and icon can result in millions in dollars in sales by giving a favorable nod to one food group or another, say food manufacturers. Government health officials say hiring a company like Porter Novelli is a smart choice. Porter Novelli invented the pyramid graphic in 1992, and its experience with both food marketing and health-oriented social marketing campaigns may be the right combination to persuade Americans to change how they eat.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/10/politics/10pyramid.html?

7. School Nutrition Association Announces New Staff Vice President of Government Affairs

("SNA Announces Cathy Schuchart as New Staff Vice President of Government Affairs," U.S. Newswire, April 5, 2005)

The School Nutrition Association (formerly the American School Food Service Association) announced today that Cathy Schuchart has been named Staff Vice President of Government Affairs. Schuchart will direct the Association's regulatory and legislative efforts in conjunction with SNA Washington Counsel Marshall Matz. She succeeds Barry Sackin. Schuchart most recently served as Legislative Division Chief in the Congressional and Public Affairs Office of the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. Previously, she directed government relations for U.S. English, Inc and the Council for Responsible Nutrition, worked as Budget Director of the Media and Communications Departments for the Bush/Quayle 1992 presidential campaign, for Congressman Bill Emerson, and the U.S. House of Representative's Select Committee on Hunger.

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=45392

8. Oregon: Governor Calls for More Summer Food Programs

("Governor wants more summer food programs," Bend.com, April 11, 2005)

Gov. Ted Kulongoski called on communities throughout the state to sponsor the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) so Oregon students can continue to get the nutrition they need during the summer months when they are not in school. The Governor made the announcement at a kick-off event in Portland for Oregon Hunger Awareness Week. “Hunger isn’t just an urban or rural issue – it’s an Oregon issue – and we all have an obligation to do our part to ensure our children have access to the food they need to learn, play and grow,” Governor Kulongoski said. He noted that Multnomah County had increased its participation in SFSP 56 percent in just one year. During the 2003 legislative session, the Governor signed a bill to increase state support for expansion of the Summer Food Service Program, and last year, the Congress included Oregon among the 19 designated “Lugar Pilot Project” states in the federal 2004 Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act. The pilot will make Oregon's SFSP more efficient and easier to administer. The Oregon Hunger Relief Task Force is educating the public and policy makers in how to end hunger in Oregon.

http://bend.com/news/ar_view.php?ar_id=22125

9. Oregon: One in Three Lan County Children Uses Emergency Food

("Hunger Awareness Week," KVAL 13 News, April 11, 2005)

Monday, April 11 marked the beginning of Hunger Awareness Week in Oregon. One out of three children in Lane County this year will eat out of an emergency food box. "If you see a school bus unload with 27 kids, nine of those kids eat out of emergency food boxes," says Pat Farr. Governor Kulongoski also is calling on communities in Oregon to sponsor the Summer Food Service Program. In Lane County, 3,000 children a day were fed through the program last summer.

http://tinyurl.com/4uxsy

10. Pennsylvania: Town Meeting Gives Overview of Food Stamps

("Residents get info about feds' help," Wilkes Barre Times-Leader, April 11, 2005)

Local residents received an overview about federal programs such as food stamps at a recent town meeting. The event at Luzerne County Community College was entitled "Your Benefits, Your Rights - A Citizen's Guide to the Federal Dollars and Services You Deserve." Presenters described the online application for social services which is now available. The online form includes a self-screening questionnaire that allows people to find out if they could qualify for a program, without having to give personally identifiable information.

http://www.timesleader.com/mld/timesleader/11364112.htm

11. Florida: Food Stamp Applications to Go Electronic

("Food stamp sign-up gets easier," Palm Beach Post, April 11, 2005)

Computer terminals were installed about two months ago in the Department of Children and Families offices across the region so individuals may apply for food stamps, Medicaid, and other benefits online. The plan is another way that Governor Jeb Bush is cutting the state payroll. Opponents of the online forms worry that vulnerable individuals such as seniors, the homeless, and those with limited education, may not be able to fill out the forms on their own. People who are illiterate or who lack computers at home are at a disadvantage. Applicants for benefits now can choose between paper forms and the electronic versions. Workers are taking less than 10 minutes to interview applicants and have reduced the number of questions to the minimum allowed by the federal government. The state says long lines, waiting rooms, and paper forms may soon be a thing of the past.

http://tinyurl.com/bfahb

12. California: Food Stamps Go Underutilized

("Barely a third of those eligible for food stamps receive them," Eureka Times-Standard, March 30, 2005)

Only 36 percent of the people eligible to receive food stamps in Humboldt County are receiving them. Anne Holcomb, executive director of Food for People, says access to a food stamp application office in rural areas, the high price of gas, and social stigma are some barriers that keep people from participating in the program. "The last time study said it takes three trips and five hours to apply," said Holcomb. A task force is in place to learn why participation is so low and to recommend ways to raise it. "We want the penetration rate to be high enough that the people who are eligible for the benefits and want the benefits can access the benefits," said Beverly Morgan Lewis of the social services branch of the Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services. "A lot of food banks are really struggling because the flow of food in general has declined," Holcomb said. Food stamps have a positive impact on the economy, providing revenue for local grocers and retailers.

http://www.times-standard.com/Stories/0,1413,127~2896~2789520,00.html

13. Connecticut: Agency Steps in to Help Food Stamp Applicants

("Foodstamps," The Hour Online, April 13, 2005)

Nearly 100,000 people in Connecticut, including nearly 6,000 in Norwalk, are not taking advantage of the food stamp program, according to the Connecticut Association of Human Services. When the Norwalk office of the Department of Social Services (DSS) closed in 2003, local residents had to go to Bridgeport or Stamford. Because many lacked transportation, a large number of people did not have access to services such as food stamps. Local service agencies were asked to help. Norwalk Economic Opportunity Now volunteered members of its staff to serve as an intermediary. The NEON office at the former Benjamin Franklin School on Flax Hill Road offers assistance with completing food stamp forms and sending them to the appropriate offices. NEON is also a site for those with disabilities to get access to DSS programs, including food stamps.

http://www.thehour.com/283060585014284.bsp

14. Pennsylvania: Minimum Wage Should Match the Region's

("Editorial: Congress shirks job, so states must act," Philadelphia Inquirer, April 13, 2005)

Pennsylvania's minimum wage must rise because the state will soon be surrounded by fifteen states in the Northeast with higher minimum wages. The U.S. Senate recently voted against raising the federal minimum wage, so states have the responsibility to boost the wages of their poorest workers. The current federal minimum wage is too low to support families and urban economies. For example, a recent Brookings Institution report found that poor families in Philadelphia actually pay higher prices than middle-income families for food, utilities, cars, houses, appliances and furniture. The report suggested ways to raise low-income families' access to competitive prices and stores, such as subsidizing supermarkets if they locate in high-risk neighborhoods and passing tighter laws against predatory lending.

http://www.macon.com/mld/inquirer/2005/04/12/news/editorial/11370196.htm

See the Brookings Institution report "Roadblock to the Middle Class: The High Costs of Being Poor in Philadelphia":
http://www.brookings.edu/es/urban/speeches/wip29.htm

15. North Carolina: Radio Station to Air Series on Poverty

("Radio series to explore poverty," Henderson Dispatch, April 2, 2005)

A two-week series on poverty will begin airing on WUNC public radio starting April 18. The series, "North Carolina Voices, Understanding Poverty," will include reports, documentaries, and call-in programs. Topics in the series include "What is poverty?," "Who is poor?," "Seeds of Sustenance; The North Carolina Fund," "How the Poor Pay More," and "Putting Poverty on a Budget."

http://www.hendersondispatch.com/articles/2005/04/09/news/news04.txt

16. Oregon: Student Organization to Feed Hungry Students

("Soup without stigma," OSU Daily Barometer, April 13, 2005)

Free lunch is a new service offered at Oregon State University because many students have had to choose between food, books, or rent. The starving student stereotype is not just a cliche. The Escape Hunger program is coordinated by the Associated Students of Oregon State University Student Committee on Hunger and Poverty (SCOHP). Stephanie Brockett, SCOHP co-chair, worried that stigma might keep students away from the free lunch. "Nobody wants to admit they can't pay for lunch," she says. Kay Hostetler, operations manager at the Department of Human Services, said the department had 123 students apply for food stamps in January to February. Other students are eligible for food stamps, but do not know how to apply or won't accept them. The Escape Hunger program is designed to feed 75 people a day.

http://tinyurl.com/63wd9

17. Missouri: Governor OKs Extra Spending for Food Stamp Call Center

("Blunt signs extra spending bill," Kansas City Star, April 11, 2005)

Legislation that allows the state to spend an additional $217.5 million in the next few months to cover unanticipated expenses, primarily in Medicaid, was signed by Governor Matt Blunt. The bill also includes money to operate a toll-free help center for food stamp and welfare participants that receive their benefits through an electronic benefit card. The call center was previously in India and operated by a government contractor. It became an issue in last year's gubernatorial campaign, and it was moved to Wisconsin in July. Now, the call center is being moved to Missouri, but will cost about $1 million more annually to operate than in India.

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/local/11366685.html