Make plans now to attend FRAC's Annual Benefit Dinner
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
The Capital Hilton
Washington, DC
The proceeds from the dinner will benefit FRAC's Campaign to End Childhood Hunger, which is achieving major gains in feeding children in communities throughout the United States.
Click here for more information, or contact FRAC at 202-986-2200.
|
| |
|
 |
|
Fighting Hunger in America
 
     
|
Legislation, alerts, news, lobby tips and more.
|
|
What's New
|
 |
May 14, 2008 - BREAKING NEWS! Farm Bill overwhelmingly passes the House with a vote of 318 to 106.
To see how your member voted, click here.
Statement by Jim Weill, FRAC President, on the House Passage of the Farm Bill:
Today, the House of Representatives passed the Farm Bill by an overwhelming, veto-proof margin, 318 to 106.
Important impetus for this vote came from the Bill’s nutrition title, which makes vital and long-overdue improvements to the Food Stamp Program.
These changes will help the tens of millions of people in this country who are struggling against hunger and trying to stretch limited budgets to buy healthy food. FRAC appreciates the support of leaders and members from both parties who made this possible.
FRAC urges the Senate to follow suit and pass the bill with a veto-proof margin as well. Hungry people should not have to wait any longer for these improvements.
|
|
May 14, 2008 - FRAC News Release: Food Research and Action Center Calls for Passage of Farm Bill (pdf). “Hungry People Should Not Have to Wait Any Longer,” Says FRAC President.
|
|
May 13, 2008 - Farm Bill (HR 2419) fact sheets now available!
|
|
May 9, 2008 - Agriculture Secretary Calls on Bush to Veto His Own Proposals
While the improvements made in the nutrition title of the Farm Bill may not (in their words to the press) make sense to USDA Secretary Ed Schafer and Deputy Secretary Chuck Conner, they certainly make sense to the tens of millions of Americans struggling against hunger who will benefit from higher food stamp allotments and improved access to the program. Click here for more...
|
|
May 8, 2008 - Now Online - February 2008 Food Stamp participation numbers.
|
|
May 5, 2008 - Comment on "Applying for Free and Reduced Price Meals in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program and for Benefits in the Special Milk Program and Technical Amendments (RIN 0584-A) USDA continues to implement rules and regulations from the 2004 Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act. Please join us in responding to a recent Interim Final Rule from USDA to advocate for stronger federal policy on School Meal Applications, and insure that our most vulnerable children have access to nutritious meals at school each day.
Comments are due by May 12, 2008.
Click here for model comments for you to submit. Please note that we have left placeholders in the first paragraph of the comments for you to insert your organization's name and a brief discussion of your work. Do not hit submit until you have modified that content.
If you have any questions, please contact Madeleine Levin at mlevin@frac.org or 202-986-2200 x3004.
We hope you will act very soon - and remember: comment letters are due to USDA by May 12.
|
|
May 2, 2008 - BREAKING NEWS ON THE FARM BILL:
Senate/House conferees approved $10.365 billion in new ten-year funding for the nutrition title of the Farm Bill (H.R. 2419) in a late night meeting last night. Conferees left open the issue of privatization of eligibility determination processes and eight non-nutrition title issues. They also noted that budget scoring due from the Congressional Budget Office may require revisiting some decisions. Another short-term extension of current farm program law (H.R. 2954) gives lawmakers until May 16th to get a reauthorization passed and signed. While behind-the-scenes negotiations are expected to continue, in the meantime conferees do not expect to reconvene for a public meeting earlier than 1pm on May 6th.
Reuters Reports on Nutrition Investments: "Two-thirds of the money in the farm bill would be spent on nutrition programs such as food stamps, the major U.S. anti-hunger program. Stewardship programs would gain $4 billion, specialty crops, $1.35 billion and biofuel development $900 million. 'These are steps that will help 10 million people,' said Rep. Rosa DeLauro, Connecticut Democrat, who described changes in the food stamp program allowed by the new funding. The changes include a larger standard income deduction for food stamp recipients, raised to $144, a $10 increase, and indexed to inflation. The minimum food stamp benefit would be $14 a month, up $4, and indexed for inflation. Donations to food pantries would be raised to $240 million a year, up $100 million, and indexed to inflation.' See "White House warns farm law needs 'real reforms,'" by Charles Abbott, Reuters, 5/2/08.
Use 1-800-826-9624 to thank Members for Progress and to Build on Momentum: Call Members of Congress (via the toll-free line made available by AARP: 1-800-826-9624). Thank Members for making progress on the Farm Bill nutrition title and urge them to pass a Farm Bill with the strongest possible nutrition title, including new investments for: 1) food stamp benefit increases (especially raising and indexing the $10 minimum monthly benefit and standard deduction); 2) greater food stamp access (especially raising and indexing household asset limits); and 3) boosting purchases in The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP)(raising and indexing funding).
|
|
April 25, 2008 - FRAC Facts: Rising Food Costs and the Thrifty Food Plan (pdf)
While the cost of food rose by 4.7 percent from March 2007 to March 2008, the cost of the Thrifty Food Plan (the mix of food items on which low-income people rely) rose even faster. Over the same time period, the cost of the Thrifty Food Plan rose by 5.6 percent. This increase in the Thrifty Food Plan is a more accurate indicator of how low-income households are suffering from rising food costs. Click here for the fact sheet (pdf).
|
|
April 22, 2008 - Next Farm Bill conference meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 22, at 4:30 p.m. - click here for all the details.
|
|
April 17, 2008 - New Online: FRAC President Jim Weill's presentation to at the House Hunger Caucus Briefing: The Impact of Rising Food Prices on Hunger in America (pdf)
|
|
April 4, 2008 - FRAC Facts: The Impact of Rising Food Costs on Low-Income Americans (pdf)
All Americans are starting to feel the pinch of food costs that suddenly have begun rising more rapidly, on
top of rising energy, housing, and health costs. The higher cost of food is falling especially hard on low-income
families. This fact sheet details current statistics and news quotes on how widespread the problems are, and provides supporting information to strengthen nutrition program supports in federal nutrition programs.
|
|
January 24, 2008 - Statement by Jim Weill, President of the Food Research and Action Center:
A Food Stamp Boost Is a Quick, Effective Way to Stimulate the Economy
The stimulus package announced today has the advantage of tax rebates that reach many – albeit far from all – of the lowest income families. But in other essential respects it falls short of what the nation needs both as a stimulus and as a support for those among us struggling with rapidly rising costs for food, energy, and housing.
In particular, we note the absence of a temporary boost in food stamp benefits and a temporary unemployment insurance extension, even though economists from a range of political perspectives agree that those are the two measures with the quickest and most cost-effective impact.
Enacting a temporary raise in food stamp allotments would strengthen the package, get money out quickly to be spent in local grocery stores across the country, and generate in local communities nearly twice as much economic activity as the investment would cost.
We and others who care about both the economy and low-income people in this country will be working in the days ahead to remedy those flaws in the package.
|
|
|
Food Research and Action Center
1875 Connecticut Avenue, NW Suite 540
Washington, DC 20009
Phone: (202) 986-2200
Fax: (202) 986-2525
Home
| All About FRAC
| Current News & Analysis
Federal
Food Programs | Hunger
in the U.S.
FRAC's Building
Blocks Project | Campaign
to End Childhood Hunger
Publications &
Products | Contact FRAC!
| Site Map
|
|
