Issue 43, October 23, 2003

1. Study Finds 60 Percent of Americans Will Experience Poverty By Age 75; 42 Percent by Age 50
2. Raising Family Incomes Above the Poverty Level Improved Child Behavior, Study Finds
3. Iowa Senator Proposes to Cut Farm Subsidies, Increase Funding for Child Nutrition Programs
4. USDA Awards $1.3 Million for Research on Food Assistance in Seven States and D.C.
5. Study Finds Fruits and Vegetable Cost More Than Packaged Convenience Foods
6. Congress Considering Increased Income Verification for School Lunch Program
7. Brookings Institution Hosts Debate on Bush Administration's Block Grant Plans
8. Survey Finds That Americans Ate More Fruits and Vegetables in 2003
9. Former U.N. World Food Programme Director Receives World Food Prize
10. Wisconsin Governor Calls for Legislation Guaranteeing School Breakfasts Statewide
11. Children's Hunger Alliance Urges Ohio Legislators to Adopt School Breakfast Program
12. District of Columbia Mayor Orders Review of Child Nutrition Program Performance
13. Nevada Anti-Hunger Advocates Form Coalition to Draft Plan to End Hunger
14. Food Stamp Outreach Nets Participation Gains for Georgia

1. STUDY FINDS 60 PERCENT OF AMERICANS WILL EXPERIENCE POVERTY BY AGE 75; 42 PERCENT BY AGE 50

(Minneapolis Star Tribune, Minneapolis, MN, October 18, 2003)

A study by Prof. Mark Rank of Washington University in St. Louis, which appeared in a publication of the American Sociological Association, found that 60 percent of Americans will have fallen into poverty for at least one year by the time they reach age 75. Forty-two percent will have experienced poverty by age 50. The study analyzes data running from 1968 to 1992. Because the poverty rates were the same during the period studied as they are now, Prof. Rank says the conclusions hold true now. A recent federal study similarly found that just between 1987 and 1996 25 percent of Americans, including 34 percent of children, had experienced poverty. Prof. Rank explains that poverty is not a perpetual state for most Americans, "[b]ut most of us will experience poverty in our lifetimes."

http://www.startribune.com/stories/462/4161301.html

2. RAISING FAMILY INCOMES ABOVE THE POVERTY LEVEL IMPROVED CHILD BEHAVIOR, STUDY FINDS

(New York Times, October 21, 2003)

A study that appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that children whose family's income rose above the poverty level experienced decreased rates of deviant and aggressive behaviors. The study followed 1,420 children ages 9 to 13 in rural North Carolina over an eight year period. Halfway through the study an American Indian casino opened nearby and the 25 percent of the children in the study who were from the Cherokee reservation began receiving profit shares. As a result, 14 percent of the Native American children in the study rose above the poverty level. After four years of receiving benefits, the rates of such behavior among these children dropped to the same levels found among children whose families had never been poor, suggesting that poverty, and the stress it puts on families, contribute to children's behavioral problems. "[P]arents value having more time to spend with their kids, not less, and their kids respond favorably to that," said Dr. Arline Geronimus at the University of Michigan.

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/21/health/21CASI.html
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3. IOWA SENATOR PROPOSES TO CUT FARM SUBSIDIES, INCREASE FUNDING FOR CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAMS

(High Plains Journal, Dodge City, KS, October 21, 2003)

Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) hoped to increase funding for child nutrition programs (e.g., school lunch, school breakfast, WIC) by limiting government payments to corporate farmers. Sen. Grassley wanted to make available about $1.7 billion over the next 10 years for child nutrition programs with a farm payment-limitation amendment to a bill reauthorizing the nutrition programs. "I plan to use every avenue possible to get farm payment limitations attached as an amendment," Sen. Grassley said. Action on the child nutrition bill was delayed until after January 1, 2004 to match the House's timetable for reauthorization, according to a spokesman for Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Thad Cochran.

http://www.hpj.com/dtnnewstable.cfm?type=story&sid=10144

4. USDA AWARDS $1.3 MILLION FOR RESEARCH ON FOOD ASSISTANCE IN SEVEN STATES AND D.C.

(USDA Press Release, October 21, 2003)

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced $1.3 million in grant and cooperative agreement awards in seven states and the District of Columbia for research on food assistance. The grants and cooperative agreements will fund projects in California, the District of Columbia, Indiana, Louisiana, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee and Virginia. The projects will examine a number of program-related issues, including: food stamp use by legal immigrants before and after the 2002 Farm Bill's restoration of benefits to noncitizens; relationship of food security and participation in food assistance programs to weight status, health, development, and well-being of children, and the health and well-being of adults; sources of variation in State Food Stamp Program participation rates; factors causing variations in WIC infant formula rebates across states, and the effect of the rebate program on the wholesale price of infant formula; impacts of key Food Stamp Program provisions in the 2002 Farm Bill on program costs and participation (e.g., provisions allowing simplified reporting and transitional food stamps for families leaving cash welfare); relationships among Food Stamp Program participation, food insecurity, and expenditures; relationship of neighborhood characteristics, including food prices, to obesity. The following web page contains a complete list of award recipients.

http://www.usda.gov/news/releases/2003/10/0363.htm

5. STUDY FINDS FRUITS AND VEGETABLES COST MORE THAN PACKAGED CONVENIENCE FOODS

(Pioneer Press, Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN, October 17, 2003)

A study comparing the cost of high-nutrition, unprocessed foods such as fruits and vegetables to processed convenience foods that are higher in fat, calories and sugar, found that the former are more expensive when measured on a cents-per-calorie basis. Adam Drewnowski, director of the nutritional sciences program at the University of Washington, conducted the study at a Seattle supermarket by checking the prices of about 200 products. Drewnowski believes the findings support the argument that food costs are a factor in the obesity epidemic. Drewnowski argues for government produce subsidies.

http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/7022484.htm

6. CONGRESS CONSIDERING INCREASED INCOME VERIFICATION FOR SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM

(Chicago Tribune, Chicago, IL, October 19, 2003)

U.S. Department of Agriculture officials report a study finding overcertification in the school lunch program, but officials cannot tell how large the problem is. Officials are proposing doing income verification in as many as 15 percent of the cases, compared to the current 3 percent. Zoe Neuberger, of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, says every additional one percent of applications audited nationwide means 30,000 eligible children will lose benefits. Sue Susanke, director of food services for the Chicago Public Schools, says that a 1997 USDA study found that 81 percent of the families who failed to respond to verification were actually eligible. "We don't need a fix for a school lunch program that is not broken," Susanke points out.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/perspective/chi-0310190151oct19,1,3035336.story
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7. BROOKINGS INSTITUTION HOSTS DEBATE ON BUSH ADMINISTRATION'S BLOCK GRANT PLANS

(Stateline.org, October 20, 2003)

A panel discussion hosted by the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C. examined Bush Administration proposals that would turn at least six existing federal programs - Medicaid, housing for the poor, workforce development, child protection, transportation and Head Start - into block grants. Senator Jim Talent (R-MO) commented "[w]hat I hear constantly is that states are going to take a piece of the money and they aren't going to add any value to the process." Jack Tweedie, of the National Conference of State Legislatures added that block grant funding generally doesn't adapt to changing economic conditions but restrictions tend to increase over time.

http://www.stateline.org/stateline/?pa=story&sa=showStoryInfo&id=330381

8. SURVEY FINDS THAT AMERICANS ATE MORE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES IN 2003

(Wall Street Journal, October 14, 2003)

According to the "Annual Eating Patterns in America" survey conducted by the NPD Group, a market research firm, Americans ate fresh fruit six percent more often and vegetables five percent more often (over a 14 day period) than when polled last year. Harry Balzer, a vice president at NPD and author of the study said "I've been watching the food industry for 25 years, and we've never seen America even hint at losing weight." However, "[o]ne year does not constitute a trend," notes William H. Dietz of the Centers for Disease Control. A 1999-2000 CDC survey found that 64 percent of U.S. adults age 20 to 74 were overweight or obese, an increase of 8 percentage points over a 1988-1994 survey. NPD also found that Americans did not eat as healthily as they did 10 years ago: people ate vegetables an average of 127 times in 2003, down from 149 times in 1993.

http://online.wsj.com/public/us
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9. FORMER U.N. WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME DIRECTOR RECEIVES WORLD FOOD PRIZE

(Des Moines Register, Des Moines, IA, October 17, 2003)

Catherine Bertini, former executive director of the World Food Programme at the United Nations (and currently undersecretary general for management of the United Nations), received the World Food Prize in a ceremony that was the highlight of activities in Des Moines that coincided with United Nations World Food Day. The ceremony was attended by Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman, and Norman Boraug, winner of the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize and World Food Prize founder, along with other distinguished guests. Organizers hope to make the food prize hold the same cachet as a Nobel Prize. "Our work is not done...until ultimately there is not a hungry person left on this Earth," said Bertini in her remarks.

http://www.dmregister.com/news/stories/c4788998/22523904.html

10. WISCONSIN GOVERNOR CALLS FOR LEGISLATION GUARANTEEING SCHOOL BREAKFASTS STATEWIDE

(Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Milwaukee, WI, October 17, 2003)

Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle wants to guarantee that breakfast is provided at every school in the state. Wisconsin currently ranks last in the nation in the percentage of students who receive school breakfast: 23 percent of eligible low-income children in Wisconsin eat a subsidized breakfast compared to an average of 43 percent nationwide. While more than 204,000 children participate in free and reduced-price school lunch programs, only 48,700 low-income children eat breakfast at schools. Gov. Doyle points out that the state is losing $12.7 million a year in federal funds for meal programs. Gov. Doyle says that Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI) has secured $2 million for school districts that need money for start-up costs, and Sen. Kohl expects to get another $1 million.

http://www.jsonline.com/news/state/oct03/178198.asp

11. CHILDREN'S HUNGER ALLIANCE URGES OHIO LEGISLATORS TO ADOPT SCHOOL BREAKFAST PROGRAM

(Dayton Daily News, Dayton, OH, October 19, 2003)

The Children's Hunger Alliance (formerly the Ohio Hunger Task Force) is urging Ohio school districts to adopt free breakfast programs for every child, to improve student attention and attendance as well as feed more low-income children who are not currently receiving meals. The Alliance, under a contract with the Ohio Department of Education, received a $1 million appropriation from the state legislature to pursue its goal of increasing breakfast participation by 5 million meals this year. Several schools have started breakfast programs because of the Alliance's efforts. For schools claiming that they cannot find the time to fit breakfast in, the Alliance suggests offering breakfast in the classroom.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/localnews/content/localnews/daily/1019breakfast.html

12. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA MAYOR ORDERS REVIEW OF CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAM PERFORMANCE

(Washington Post, October 23, 2003)

D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams ordered District government officials to review how the city's Education Office runs the summer food and school lunch programs, in response to complaints made by local anti-hunger advocates and some city council members about the agency's performance. The mayor also announced plans to create an advisory panel to recommend improvements to the programs. Mayor Williams will ask members of nonprofit agencies, elected officials and others to participate on the yet unformed advisory panel. The panel's work will also include a review of the best practices in other jurisdictions.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A2590-2003Oct22.html

13. NEVADA ANTI-HUNGER ADVOCATES FORM COALITION TO DRAFT PLAN TO END HUNGER

(Las Vegas Sun, Las Vegas, NV, October 16, 2003)

The Food Bank of Northern Nevada announced the formation of the Nevada Coalition Against Hunger, a statewide coalition charged with creating a plan to end hunger in the state by 2008. The first action planned by the coalition is to make sure all federal nutrition programs are being fully utilized and that local safety nets exist in all communities. The new coalition will include Nevada's Bureau of Community Health, along with other state agencies, school districts, county health departments, community food assistance programs, nutrition professionals and nonprofit organizations. "We can eliminate child hunger in Nevada within five years or less. It depends on our commitment," Food Bank CEO Cherie Jamason said.

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/nevada/2003/oct/16/101610210.html

14. FOOD STAMP OUTREACH NETS PARTICIPATION GAINS FOR GEORGIA

(Atlanta Journal Constitution, Atlanta, GA, October 17, 2003)

According to state officials, average monthly participation in the Food Stamp Program in Georgia increased by 13 percent for fiscal year 2002, from 588,154 to 664,976 persons. The state's outreach effort included printing eligibility requirements on grocery bags, taking telephone applications and sending caseworkers to senior centers, grocery stores and schools. Georgia's Department of Family and Children Services expects to be presented with an award for its efforts at the annual food stamp directors conference in November.

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/1003/17food.html

For the latest information on Food Stamp Program participation rates, by state, see FRAC's analysis of USDA data for July 2003 (the latest available). Georgia continued to show improvement through fiscal year 2003, especially in the period of March 2003 to July 2003 where Georgia ranked first in participation increases among all states.
http://www.frac.org/html/news/fsp/03july.html