food assistance

On-line nutrition assistance recipients redeemed $9.4 billion in benefits during the first two years of the pandemic.  ERS reported this week redemptions came from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, along with the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer benefits, or P-EBT.  The pro...

House Democrats introduced a bill that would reauthorize child nutrition programs. Those programs include school meals, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, better known as WIC, and a host of smaller programs.   According to the Hagstrom Report child nutrition programs haven’t gotten reauthorized since 2010’s Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act.  The School Nutritio...

Last week, the Biden Administration announced $670 million in food assistance in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Department of Agriculture and U.S. Agency for International Development will draw down the full balance of the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust. USA ...

During his 1964 State of the Union address, then president Lyndon Johnson said: "We must distribute more food to the needy through a broader food stamp program." Of course, the USDA has operated some sort of food stamp program since 1939; today it is called SNAP ...

Back in the fall, the Washington state Department of Agriculture announced a new grant program to help expand hunger relief efforts statewide. The Department opened those grants up to all eligible hunger relief organizations serving Washington communities whether or not they were previously contract with WSDA to distribute food assistance. ...

The Department of Agriculture announced last week a $69 million investment to address the food and nutrition needs of low-income communities. Twenty awards totaling $61.5 million are for Nutrition Incentive Grants, and 15 awards totaling $7 ...

Danielle Evans with the Clarkston Farmers Market talks about how they work to help customers get the most out of their weekly visit. If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail gvaagen@cherrycreekmedia.com

The USDA announced last week plans to expand its food assistance for the homeless or those in emergency shelters. Gary Crawford added Vilsack continues that this is one of the many tools in the American Rescue Plan to bolster food security, which the Ag Secretary noted has taken a hit ...

Incoming Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow laid out her agenda for the committee late last week. The Michigan Democrat said Thursday, "My vision for the committee revitalizes our food and farm economy to grow new opportunities in American agriculture and provide access to healthy food for American families ...

President-elect Joe Biden rolled out a nearly $2 trillion COVID-19 relief plan last week, which he said would boost nutrition help for struggling families and aid to restaurants. The “American Rescue Plan” will be the new president’s first legislative priority after he’s sworn in on Wednesday and the first test of his ability to advance his agenda amid the pandemic. If successful, Biden ... Rea