Second Harvest: Proposed farm bill undercuts the poor

America's Second Harvest -- the largest charitable domestic hunger-relief organization in the country -- charged today that the proposed farm bill will reduce the ability of it and similar groups to feed the hungry.

"The proposal recommends a repeal of a critical federal provision that currently enables food banks to receive priority consideration for the distribution of TEFAP (The Emergency Food Assistance Program) commodities," said Vicki Escarra, President and CEO of America's Second Harvest. "This food supply is vital to the ability of food banks to serve 25 million low-income Americans, including 9 million children and nearly 3 million seniors, in every community of the United States each year."

The proposal recommends a repeal of a federal provision that currently enables food banks to receive priority consideration for distribution of TEFAP stocks, Escarra said.

The group also took exception to provisions relating to food stamps.

"We urge Congress to take an aggressive approach in passing a Farm Bill in 2007 with a strong nutrition title that ensures that none of our neighbors go to bed hungry," Escarra said.

The organization's 200 member food banks and food-rescue organizations serves all 50 states, D.C. and Puerto Rico. Its network secures and distributes more than 2 billion pounds of donated food and grocery products annually and supports approximately 50,000 local charitable agencies operating more than 94,000 programs including food pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, after-school programs and Kids Cafes. Last year, the America's Second Harvest Network provided food assistance to more than 25 million low-income hungry people.

Click here for full statement.

• AgFax News, Downloads
• Subscribe to our reports