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.

1. Food Stamps Leave 2.9 Million Eligible Persons Unserved in US Cities, New FRAC Report Says
2. Only 62 Percent of Eligible People in 25 Cities Get Food Stamps
3. FRAC Web Site Provides Up-to-Date Information About Nutrition Assistance for Hurricane Katrina and Rita Victims
4. FRAC Reports on “Getting Food Stamps to Hungry Families on Time”
5. News Release: USDA Announces Additional Farm Bill Forums That Will Focus on Food Stamps
6. States Receive $18 Million for Excellent Customer Service in the Food Stamp Program
7. Food and Nutrition Service Updated Food Stamp Income Eligibility Guidelines
8. Editorial: In Katrina’s Aftermath, Taking From Poor and Giving to Rich is “Rotten Idea”
9. Low Income Advocates Collect Evidence Against Cuts to Entitlement Programs
10. Cutting Food Programs in Poverty-Stricken New Mexico Will Leave More Children Hungry
11. Millions of Children Do Not Benefit From Child Tax Credit, Study Says
12. Will the Response to Katrina Help Improve Lives of Poor?
13. Food Charities in Philadelphia Are Not Up to Task of Feeding the Hungry
14. Commentary: Food Should Not Be Charity
15. Food Prices Expected to Surge Again
16. No Junk Food in British Schools
17. Eligible Students Can Get Food Stamps
18. USDA Unveils MyPyramid For Kids – Dietary Guidelines for Young Americans
19. Indiana: 39 Percent of Poor in Allen County Are Children
20. New Jersey: School Districts Adopted Universal Breakfast Program
21. Iowa: WIC Money Well Spent For Women, Children, and Community
22. Virginia: Federal Funds Pay For Nutrition in Home-Based Day Care
23. California: Wooden “Food Stamp” Dollars Buy Customers Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
24. Arkansas: Governor Huckabee Crusades Against Obesity

1. Food Stamps Leave 2.9 Million Eligible Persons Unserved in US Cities, New FRAC Report Says

(“US Cities Get Food Stamp Benefits to More Needy People but Still Leave Many Eligible Families Unserved,” frac.org, September 28, 2005)

The Food Research and Action Center released a report that analyzes food stamp usage and the incidence of hunger and poverty in 25 of America’s largest urban areas, spread out over 20 states and the District of Columbia. FRAC estimates that the 25 urban areas alone left 2.9 million eligible persons uncovered by the program, and $2.1 billion in federal food stamps go unclaimed. “It is inconceivable that Congress, in the face of rising poverty and food insecurity, now exacerbated by the terrible effects of Hurricane Katrina, still is considering weakening the Food Stamp Program,” said FRAC President James D. Weill. “Congress must reject both food stamp budget cuts in any Reconciliation bill, and any structural changes that weaken the program.” Underparticipation in the Food Stamp Program not only negatively affects poor people, but also local communities, commented FRAC Legal Director Ellen Vollinger. “Research shows that each dollar in federal benefits generates nearly twice that in economic activity.”

http://www.frac.org/Press_Release/09.27.05.html (FRAC press release)

http://www.frac.org/pdf/cities2005.pdf (FRAC report, "Food Stamp Access in Urban America: A City-by-City Snapshot")

2. Only 62 Percent of Eligible People in 25 Cities Get Food Stamps

(“ Group: Millions of eligible people don't get food stamps,” cnn.com, September, 28, 2005)

This Associated Press story on the FRAC report notes that only 62 percent of eligible people in 25 large cities, or about 5.4 million individuals, get food stamp benefits. The lowest participation was in Oakland, CA, where an estimated 23 percent of eligible people in Alameda County received food stamps. FRAC opposes cuts in food stamps that Congress might choose to undertake as part of trimming $3 billion from agriculture programs this autumn. "The first thing Congress should do is not make budget cuts in the program," said FRAC President Jim Weill.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/09/28/food.stamps.ap/index.html

3. FRAC Web Site Provides Up-to-Date Information About Nutrition Assistance for Hurricane Katrina and Rita Victims

Very substantial support from federal nutrition programs is available to assist victims of Hurricane Katrina and Rita, both in the states directly hit and in other states receiving evacuees. Federal, state and local officials can work with non-profit and private sector partners to maximize food stamps, school meals, child care and afterschool food, and WIC benefits for those affected, including in the areas to which they have relocated. Assuring that states and service providers make maximum use of these programs and conducting outreach to potential recipients can help provide essential support for vulnerable people. A special section of FRAC website assists victims with access to the federal nutrition safety net. It contains frequently updated summaries and links for information on best practices and rules for getting nutrition program assistance to those affected by the hurricanes. FRAC will continue to post new information about nutrition assistance for hurricane victims as it becomes available.

http://www.frac.org/html/disaster/disaster_index.html

4. FRAC Reports on “Getting Food Stamps to Hungry Families on Time”

(“Getting Food Stamps to Hungry Families on Time: Federal Rules and the High Performance Bonus for Timeliness,” frac.org, October 3, 2005)

A new report by the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) explains how USDA assesses state timeliness in case handling. “Getting Food Stamps to Hungry Families on Time: Federal Rules and the High Performance Bonus for Timeliness” was authored by FRAC Emerson Hunger Fellow Shawn Powers. The FRAC report reviews Food Stamp Program requirements for processing cases timely, details how USDA measures state performance, and recommends steps advocates can take to encourage timely delivery of food stamp benefits in their states.

http://www.frac.org/pdf/timeliness.pdf

5. News Release: USDA Announces Additional Farm Bill Forums That Will Focus on Food Stamps

(“USDA Nationwide Farm Bill Listening Tour Continues,” usda.gov, September 23, 2005)

USDA announced more Farm Bill Forums that will focus on the nutrition title of the Farm Bill (primarily food stamps) and will be hosted by Food Nutrition and Consumer Services Under Secretary Eric Bost. The next forums will take place on October 6, in Oakland, California, in the Oakland Federal Building from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (PDT); on October 14, in Baltimore, Maryland, at Enoch Pratt Public Library, in the Wheeler Auditorium from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (EDT); October 19 in Miami, Florida, at Miami-Dade College from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. (EDT); and on November 2, in Atlanta, Georgia, at the Atlanta Community Food Bank from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (EDT). The next forums Secretary Johanns and Deputy Secretary Chuck Conner will conduct this month on the Farm Bill in general are on October 5, in Lubbock, Texas, in the Texas Tech University Museum Auditorium, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (CDT); on October 14, in Little Rock, Arkansas, time and location forthcoming (hosted by Deputy Secretary Conner); on October 18, in Moultrie, Georgia, from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. (EDT); and on October 21, in Greeley, Colorado, time and location forthcoming. This news release also contains a schedule of specialty forums held by Natural Resources and Environment Under Secretary Mark Rey and by Rural Development Under Secretary Tom Dorr. The public also is invited to submit comments at the United States Department of Agriculture - Farm Bill Forums.

http://tinyurl.com/877db

6. States Receive $18 Million for Excellent Customer Service in the Food Stamp Program

("Johanns Announces Award of $18 Million to States for Food Stamp Program Improvement,” usda.gov, September 29, 2005)

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns announced the award of $18 million to states that demonstrated timely provision of services and ensured access to nutrition assistance in the Food Stamp Program. The jurisdictions receiving awards were the District of Columbia, Louisiana, Maine, and Missouri for "Best Program Access Index"; Arkansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and West Virginia for "Most Improved Program Access Index"; and Kentucky, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Virginia and West Virginia for "Application Processing Timeliness." These awards for program access follow another $30 million in program integrity awards, announced June 25, to states for lowest and most improved payment error rates and negative error rates.

http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?contentidonly=true&contentid=2005/09/0406.xml

The “Program Access Index” was formerly termed “Participant Access Rate.” For background on how that measure differs from USDA’s official Food Stamp Participation rate, see http://www.fns.usda.gov/oane/MENU/Published/FSP/FILES/Other/parsteps.pdf

7. Food and Nutrition Service Updated Food Stamp Income Eligibility Guidelines

(FY 2006 Income Eligibility Standards, usda.com, August 2005)

USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service has adjusted Food Stamp Program maximum allotments, deductions, and income eligibility standards for FY 2006. USDA makes the cost of living adjustments (COLA) at the beginning of each federal fiscal year based on changes in the cost of living. The new income standards took effect on October 1. Income eligibility standards are set by law. Gross monthly income limits are set at 130 percent of the poverty level for the household size. Net monthly income limits are set at 100 percent of poverty.

http://www.fns.usda.gov/fsp/government/FY06_Income_Standards.htm

8. Editorial: In Katrina’s Aftermath, Taking From Poor and Giving to Rich is “Rotten Idea”

(“Paying for Katrina; Cutting Social Programs is a Rotten Idea,” blackenterprise.com, September 27, 2005)

“To pay for the titanic costs of hurricane relief efforts along the Gulf Coast, House Republicans are suggesting cutting social programs and other benefits for the Americans who have the least: the poor. In this time of shared sacrifice, it is the wealthy - households with more than $1 million in annual income, households that have benefited so amply from the Bush administration's tax cuts - who should be asked to bear a larger burden,” editorializes New Jersey 'sThe Record. Even before President Bush’s tax cuts, the gap between the rich and poor was stunning: in 2000, the richest 1 percent of Americans had more money after taxes than the bottom 40 percent combined. The Brookings Institution estimated that 54 percent of the tax cuts under current consideration in Washington would benefit the 0.2 percent of households that make more than $1 million a year. “Yet to qualify for food stamps, a family of four would have to have less than $2,000 in the bank and make less than $25,000 a year,” writes this editorial. “Are these the sorts of programs that should be scaled back even further - especially when the number of recipients is expected to climb in the wake of the Gulf Coast hurricanes?”

http://www.blackenterprise.com/yb/ybopen.asp?section=ybng&story_id=82510860&ID=blackenterprise

9. Low Income Advocates Collect Evidence Against Cuts to Entitlement Programs

(“Putting a Face on Budget Plight,” qctimes.net, September 28, 2005)

Caroline Vernon of Davenport enrolled her family of four in the food stamp program after her son’s broken arm treatment exhausted the family’s savings and she lost her well-paying job due to severe rheumatoid arthritis. She tried to make ends meet, but the food stamp enrollment made the difference between “feeding my kids canned food every night or giving them some fresh meat and vegetables once in awhile,” Vernon said. The Iowa Conference of the United Methodist Church, Iowa Citizen Action Network and the Iowa Policy Project are holding hearings and collecting stories like Vernon’s from around the state to convince Iowa’s representatives in Congress to reject entitlement program budget cuts. “The faith community is waking up and saying that it is part of our mandate to make sure everyone has housing that is adequate, that everyone has enough food,” said Jacque McCoy, of Quad-Cities Interfaith. The final report based on conducted hearings will be delivered to Iowa’s congressional delegation before the budget vote at the end of October.

http://www.qctimes.net/articles/2005/09/27/news/local/doc4338d5d58233e973817153.txt

10. Cutting Food Programs in Poverty-Stricken New Mexico Will Leave More Children Hungry

(“Poverty Reaches 'Almost Epidemic' Proportions in State, Four Corners,” daily-times.com, September 11, 2005)

Poverty is a problem that “almost epidemic” and affecting families in every part of New Mexico, said Mary-Dale Bolson, head of the state’s Children, Youth and Families Department. High poverty figures among New Mexico children are largely due to the state having a larger percentage of minimum wage workers than any other state. Voices for America’s Children has advocated stopping cuts in food stamps and health care for children. “More children will go hungry if these cuts are made,” said Deborah Stein of Voices. Cutting programs also could increase the number of obese children, because high calorie food is cheaper than healthy alternatives. “It is possible to get more high calorie food for less money,” points out Dr. Deborah Frank, professor of pediatrics at Boston University. “Kids have a food deficiency, but they are full and it keeps them from crying.”

http://www.daily-times.com/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi?archive=220&num=20464

11. Millions of Children Do Not Benefit From Child Tax Credit, Study Says

(“Study Finds Many Children Don’t Benefit From Credits,” nytimes.com, October 2, 2005)

The Tax Policy Center released a report stating that 19.5 million children – more than one quarter of all American children – and one half of black children and nearly one half of Hispanic children do not receive any or all of the $1,000/year child tax credit President Bush cites in arguing that his tax cuts help low-income families. At a time when Mr. Bush is vowing to address poverty and racial division, there is a sharp partisan fight over whether families that pay little or no taxes should get the refundable credits. More than three-quarters of the 19.5 million children getting no or partial credits have parents who work. Families with two children earning less than $11,000 get no credit and earning less than $24,300 get only a partial credit. Newt Gingrich, referring to the number of black children who do not get the full credit, said,"That’s a stunning number. I’d find a way to make sure those kids get the money” as part of a broader post-Katrina plan.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/02/politics/02tax.html

12. Will the Response to Katrina Help Improve Lives of Poor?

(“For the Poor, Sudden Celebrity,” washingtonpost.com, September 22, 2005)

While the poor of New Orleans have become instant celebrities, Chris Lawrence, 49, who spent five days on a New Orleans overpass, is not sure what this celebrity means. “Bone-tired after a life of working two jobs,” he is sitting still in a Dallas shelter, reading the Bible and happy just to be alive. Will he soon return to his forgotten state? Will he and the rest of the country’s poor get a chance to improve their lives? Alan Curtis of the Milton S. Eisenhower Foundation says, " New Orleans is sort of like South Central [ Los Angeles]. People ignore the problem of poverty, then every once in a while something catastrophic happens. We talk about it, then we forget about it." In America, some still think that the needy themselves are at fault of their plight. And the government hasn’t always been willing to extend its helping hand, which was the case when severe floods struck the lower Mississippi River in 1927, leaving 700,000 Delta residents (nearly half of them black) homeless with zero federal aid. The Katrina disaster “is one of the most important moments in modern history, and in the next three to four weeks we will find out if the [Republican] party is ready and able to govern," says Former GOP House speaker Newt Gingrich.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/21/AR2005092102396.html

13. Food Charities in Philadelphia Are Not Up to Task of Feeding the Hungry

(“The Food Maze: Why Can't Philly's Poor Eat?” citypaper.net, September 22-28, 2005)

Ms. Riley from Philadelphia lost her job and, having no other source of income and having lost 10 pounds in a few weeks, soon joined the “food maze” – “an enormously complex and arcane system” of distributing food resources “where people in need pursue food distributors endlessly, sometimes meeting and completing their life-sustaining transactions, sometimes dead-ending into missed meals, and always, always, putting forth copious efforts for disproportionately meager results.” Though approved for expedited food stamps, Ms. Riley walked out of an assistance office with no money, no food, and no plans about what to do for food over the weekend. The church next door was not distributing groceries for another week. The Philadelphia Health Management Corporation found that 254,000 people in the Delaware Valley have cut down on meals because of inadequate resources. The persistence of hunger in Philadelphia is “less a crisis of conscience and more a crisis of capability. . . . Right now, Philly's not up to the task,” discovers reporter Doron Taussig. With thousands of eligible people not receiving food stamps (and applicants facing long waits and sometimes rude treatment), hundreds of food cupboards and soup kitchens fail to coordinate and, though operating with the best of intentions, fail people in urgent need of food. “Finding a cupboard, figuring out when it's open, and getting there at the right time can be a challenge, especially if you work. If you find a cupboard, you get two days' worth of food for 30 days.” Cupboards and kitchens have been providing the government with an excuse not to assume responsibility, says Karen Wilson of the Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger. It is tragic, because if you leave the job to charities, eating becomes a gift that the rich give the poor, she finds, rather than the basic human right it should be.

http://citypaper.net/articles/2005-09-22/cover.shtml

14. Commentary: Food Should Not Be Charity

(“Hunger Strike,” citypaper.net, September 22-28, 2005)

In his comment about Doron Taussig’s story, “The Food Maze: Why Can't Philly's Poor Eat?” Duane Swierczynski mentions that the story was written weeks before the Katrina disaster, as “we watched a city grapple with the nightmare of not being able to feed its residents.” As the investigation showed, hunger is not related to a lack of food, but to the food distribution system. It took weeks for Taussig to study this system, and at the end she was still mystified, while people in need have to do it on the fly, with nothing in the fridge and with hungry children to feed. Besides the enormous complexity of the food distribution system, there is the stigma of using food relief programs. “I've never told anybody this,” Swierczynski writes, “but for a time, when my father was unemployed (or underemployed), we were on food stamps, too. . . . I thought it was shameful that we needed help to buy food.” He now understands that he was wrong, as it is wrong when food, a basic human right, is seen as a gift from rich to the poor. “We shouldn't want to help the hungry so we can feel better about ourselves. We should do it because the other option is unthinkable,” he concludes.

http://citypaper.net/articles/2005-09-22/wtf.shtml

15. Food Prices Expected to Surge Again

(‘US Food Prices Surge For Second Year – Analysts,” today.reuters.com, September 24, 2005)

USDA reports that annual food prices may increase by 3.5 percent from last year, in which they rose by 3.4 percent. In the previous decade, food price increases averaged 2.5 percent a year. Higher energy prices will be one factor. Also fresh fruit and vegetable prices already grew more than 6 percent this year, the largest increase among food categories.

http://tinyurl.com/ca5ns

16. No Junk Food in British Schools

(“Kelly Announces Plan to Ban School Junk Food,” abcnews.go.com, September 28, 2005)

British Education Secretary Ruth Kelly announced that junk food high in fat, salt or sugar will be banned in schools across England within a year. "Teachers know that eating well at school encourages good behavior and children getting better results," she explained. Healthier school meals have become an issue since celebrity chef Jamie Oliver expressed his shock over the quality of school food, much of which he labeled "processed junk." Kelly said, "What Jamie has done is really, really good because it's raised the profile of how important it is for children to eat healthily." The British government plans to spend an extra 280 million pounds on school food over the next three years.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory?id=1165376

17. Eligible Students Can Get Food Stamps

(“Food Stamps Available to Students,” thehilltoponline.com, September 21, 2005)

The Food Stamp Program helps eligible students in living healthy, hunger free lives by obtaining food stamps. While some students are too proud to use this help, others are taking full advantage of it. Eligibility requirements for both independent and dependent students are based on income and other resources, but students also must live off-campus and be employed and working at least 20 hours per week to qualify.

http://www.thehilltoponline.com/media/paper590/news/2005/09/21/Campus/Food-Stamps.Available.To.Students-992123.shtml

18. USDA Unveils MyPyramid For Kids – Dietary Guidelines for Young Americans

(“Johanns Unveils MyPyramid For Kids,” usda.gov, September 28, 2005)

Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns unveiled MyPyramid for Kids – a child-friendly version of the 2005 MyPyramid Food Guidance System for Americans – by presenting its new graphic symbol, lesson plans for grades 1-6 and an interactive game. "This is a fun approach to addressing the very serious problem of childhood obesity," said Johanns. "As teachers take advantage of the lesson plans and children learn what it takes to win the game, messages about the importance of healthy eating and physical activity will take hold.” MyPyramid for Kids provides age-appropriate information about USDA’s most recent dietary guidelines with the help of the symbol that shows the recommended proportion of food from each food group necessary for healthy nutrition.

http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?contentidonly=true&contentid=2005/09/0401.xml

http://teamnutrition.usda.gov/kids-pyramid.html (MyPyramid For Kids symbol and info)

19. Indiana: 39 Percent of Poor in Allen County Are Children

(“Poverty's Young Face,” fortwayne.com, September 25, 2005)

The face of poverty in Allen County is becoming disturbingly young. In 1990, the number of children in poverty in Allen County was 8,647, but by 2003, it grew to 17,248. From 1990 to 2003, the proportion of the county’s children who lived in poverty increased from 10 percent to 18 percent, and more children became eligible for free and reduced-price school lunches, food stamps, and the WIC program. The WIC program has 6,597 participants in spring, 2001 and 8,489 in spring, 2005. Children are 28 percent of the general population, but 39 percent of the county’s poor. Teachers, medical providers, and those who feed the poor did not need Hurricane Katrina to make them aware that hunger and homelessness threaten children. Local food bank operators report that more people are coming to get food, and many of them are worried about the winter and higher gasoline and heating fuel prices. “It’s the working poor – families who just can’t make ends meet,” Ellen Graham of Associated Churches of Fort Wayne and Allen County says. “The face of the poor here is more and more the people caught in downsizing. They have been in the labor force, and if they are able to get another job, they are not earning a livable wage.”

http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/fortwayne/12738958.htm

20. New Jersey: School Districts Adopted Universal Breakfast Program

(“For Students, Breakfast Is Served,” nj.com, September 23, 2005)

Public schools in Elizabeth chose to eliminate the “missed breakfast” problem by offering free breakfast at school to all students. Officials expect to boost academic performance, test scores, and discipline. New Brunswick, Jersey City, Passaic and Paterson also offer free breakfast on a district-wide basis. Like Elizabeth, they are ranked among the 31 poorest districts in the state, also known as “Abbott districts.” Randy Rosso of the Food Research and Action Center pointed out that more schools around the country are adopting a “universal breakfast program” that provides free meals to all students. It “reduces the stigma of participating in a program [otherwise] seen as something for poor kids,’ he said. In New Jersey, however, only 49 percent of schools that served lunch last year also served breakfast. The national rate is 80 percent. The state rate is expected to improve after the state mandated schools with 20 percent or more students eligible for free or reduced-price lunches to also offer breakfast.

http://www.nj.com/printer/printer.ssf?/base/news-0/11274554554710.xml

21. Iowa: WIC Money Well Spent For Women, Children, and Community

(“Nutrition Program Helps Pregnant Women, Infants, Children Eat Right,” siouxcityjournal.com, September 27, 2005)

WIC program participation reflects “a picture of our community," says Sharon Schroeder, nutrition services director for the Siouxland District Health Department, who oversees the program in Woodbury County, the biggest user of WIC in Iowa. "The majority of our families that participate in this program are working families. They just don't earn enough." Roughly half of WIC participants in Schroeder ‘s county are white, a third are Hispanic, and the rest other races or ethnic groups. WIC serves 65 percent of babies and 62 percent of pregnant women in the county, which is higher than state and national averages. The county’s grocery stores and farm markets earned $2.18 million in WIC vouchers last year. It costs about $600 to provide a healthy diet for a woman through her pregnancy, but $22,000 to help a premature baby gain just one pound, Schroeder says. Undernourished women give birth to premature babies more often than well-nourished women.

http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/articles/2005/09/27/news/local/1a2a6780f21042ef862570880071c3e6.txt

22. Virginia: Federal Funds Pay For Nutrition in Home-Based Day Care

(“Child Nutrition Provides Money for Day-Care Meals,” timescommunity.com, September 6, 2005)

Karen Wagner and Elizabeth Wittusen work for Child Nutrition, Inc., a nonprofit that oversees day-care programs in 23 Northern Virginia counties. This nonprofit distributes federal reimbursement for the expenses that small, home-based day care providers spend on meals for children. "Right now we're serving approximately 4,000 children monthly," Wittusen says. "A provider with five or six kids could receive up to $4,000 a year from the program.” Providers must meet USDA nutrition guidelines and can serve up to two meals and a snack per day. While the program has been around for more than two decades, Wagner and Wittusen believe that it is still “the best-kept secret.” Wittusen says, "We're working with only 15 providers in Fauquier County and with 525 in Northern Virginia. We want to get the word out that this program is there, and it's designed to help day-care providers.”

http://tinyurl.com/aydbb

23. California: Wooden “Food Stamp” Dollars Buy Customers Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

(“Some Food Stamps Grow on Trees,” santacruzsentinel.com, September 14, 2005)

Some Watsonville residents come to the downtown farmers market with wooden dollars in their pockets. The food stamp program’s local twist allows customers to shop at farmers markets rather than going to big chain stores that often are the only places that accept benefits transaction cards, but cannot offer the same variety of healthy foods. As Serena Coltrane-Briscoe, who promotes healthier eating in the Pajaro Valley for the Community Alliance for Family Farmers, notes, "not only is it healthier for them [food stamp recipients], but it also supports local farmers." In California, 3.3 million people are eligible for food stamps, but only 1.5 million residents get them. "We’re trying to get enough people at the farmers market to the point where we can bring an electronic scanner for the cards, and we won’t have to be dealing with wood," Carmelita Carranco, who distributes the wooden currency at the Watsonville farmers market, says. "But right now it’s all we got, and it’s as good enough a system as any."

http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/archive/2005/September/14/local/stories/02local.htm

24. Arkansas: Governor Huckabee Crusades Against Obesity

(“Governor Warns of 600,000 Obesity Deaths,” msnbc.msn.com, September 27, 2005)

Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee is leading a crusade against obesity. “The poor health habits of the citizens of our country are costing 600,000 Americans their lives every year due to lack of exercise and poor nutrition,” Huckabee said. The catastrophic scale of this situation is 2,000 deaths per day. “Imagine the headlines that we’d read if today another 2,000 Americans died, and then tomorrow another 2,000, and then another,” the governor urged. As a sign of special concern, he mentioned that 15 years ago, Arkansas Children’s Hospital had never diagnosed a case of Type 2 diabetes (known as “adult-onset diabetes”) in pre-teen children. But today the hospital registers a dozen such cases a week.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9480347

For news tips, suggestions, comments, contact Olga Doty at odoty@frac.org

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