• Farm Bill 2012
  • Letters and Statements Supporting SNAP
  • Strengthening SNAP in the 2012 Farm Bill
  • Farm Bill FAQ
  • Resources to Protect Federal Nutrition Safety Net Programs
  • Restoring SNAP Benefit Boosts
• Budget and Appropriations
  • FY2013 Budget
  • Appropriations
  • Federal Budget and Appropriations Process
  • The Budget Control Act
• Advocacy Tools
• Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization
  • CNR FAQ
• Legislative Successes
  • The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)
  • 2008 Farm Bill Nutrition Title
  • Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004
• Legislative Archives

Farm Bill 2012

Take Action: Urge President Obama to Continue to Protect SNAP and Other Low-Income Programs in all Budget and Deficit-Reduction Negotiations

During the campaign, President Obama stated that we cannot balance the budget on the backs of the most vulnerable Americans. Ask him to renew his commitment to protecting programs that help low-income families, particularly SNAP. Find out more…

The House and Senate propose deep cuts to SNAP funding.

H. Res. 760 (pdf) – McGovern Sense of the House Resolution in opposition to proposed Farm Bill cuts to SNAP.
Latest list of cosponsors.

House Ag Committee cuts = $16 billion over 10 years.
Contained in H.R. 6083: Federal Agriculture Reform & Risk Management Act of 2012 (committee passed in July 2012 by a vote of 35-11).

These cuts:

• Limit state SNAP coordination with LIHEAP (heat and eat) payments;
  • 500,000 households could lose $90 in SNAP per month;

• Restrict the state Categorical Eligibility option to change asset and gross income tests ($11 billion cut);
  • 1.8 million individuals per year could lose SNAP benefits (CBO);
  • 2-3 million individuals could lose SNAP (Obama Administration);
  • 280,000 low-income children could lose free school meal access.

• Eliminate state bonuses for effective SNAP operation ($480 million cut).

Senate cut = $4.49 billion over 10 years.
Contained in S. 3240: The Agriculture Reform Food & Jobs Act of 2012 (Senate passed in June 2012 by a vote 0f 64-35).

The cut:

• Limits state SNAP coordination with LIHEAP (heat and eat) payments.

Learn more about these cuts:

• FRAC Analysis of Categorical Eligibility Restriction: Categorical Eligibility Cuts Would Worsen Hunger
• FRAC Analysis of SNAP/LIHEAP Limitation : SNAP Cuts = Cuts in Meals for Americans Struggling To Heat and Eat
• Administration’s state-by-state estimate of Cat El cuts: Protecting the Top, Hurting the Hungry and Impacts of the House Republican Budget Resolution on Food Assistance (column one of chart for Cat El)
• Congressional Research Service: Energy Assistance and SNAP Standard Utility Allowances (SUAs) in the Senate Agriculture Committee’s 2012 Farm Bill

Op-eds and Columns Underscore Need for Congress to Protect SNAP

Read op-eds, editorials and other media coverage by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Rep. Marcia L. Fudge (D-OH), in The New York Times, Huffington Post, The Hill, The Seattle Times and more…

Farm Bill Resources

Summary of Amendments in 2012 House Agriculture Committee Farm Bill Mark Up (pdf)

Summary of Amendments in 2012 Senate Farm Bill Debate (pdf)

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s (D-NY) Sense of the Senate Amendment (pdf)

Chart: 2012 House Agriculture Committee Mark Up-Amendment Votes (pdf)

FRAC’s Analysis of the Farm Bill Senate Mark (pdf)

Leave Behind – FRAC’s 2012 Farm Bill Priorities: Congress Must Protect and Strengthen SNAP and Other Federal Food Assistance Programs (pdf)

Joint Economic Committee report Lifeline for Families, Support for the Economy: The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (pdf)

FRAC Analysis: Lugar/Stutzman Bill Contains Flawed Nutrition Title; Its Key Proposal Was Previously Rejected

Every five years, Congress renews the Farm Bill, a comprehensive piece of legislation that includes farm and agricultural policies and that also includes the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The last Farm Bill was passed in 2008. It made several improvements to 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.