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Charlotte NC

During Nutrition Month, Adams Hunger Initiative Lobbies on the Upcoming Farm Bill

March 8, 2018

Washington, D.C.—On the third anniversary of the launch of the Adams Hunger Initiative, Congresswoman Alma Adams (NC-12) led a letter, signed by members of the Adams Hunger Initiative, to the House Agriculture Committee Chairman Michael Conaway (R-TX) and Ranking Member Collin Peterson (D-MN) expressing the 12th District's priority to protect funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other important nutrition programs in the upcoming Farm Bill legislation. In Mecklenburg County alone, more than 162,000 people are considered food insecure, including 47,000 children.

"For over three years the Adams Hunger Initiative has been fighting to end hunger in Mecklenburg County. Now, we've taken our fight to Congress," said Congresswoman Adams. "Our coalition authored this letter because we know that the 162,000 hungry people in our community cannot live without SNAP. As Congress prepares to pass the next Farm Bill, it's imperative that the Agriculture Committee protects SNAP benefits and provides robust funding for the other nutrition programs our citizens depend on to put food on their family's tables."

The letter calls on the Agriculture Committee to:

  1. Avoid harmful proposals to or caps on funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) such as block-granting the program, reducing benefits, limiting choice for participants, eliminating broad-based categorical eligibility, repealing the availability of the standard utility allowance, or eliminating waivers for able-bodied adults without dependents;
  2. Support continued investment in the SNAP Employment and Training Program;
  3. Reauthorize and robustly fund the Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention Grant Program, Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive Program, and the Healthy Food Financing Initiative.

The letter was signed by Adams Hunger Initiative members:100 Gardens, The Bulb, The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Food Policy Council, Family Agriculture Resource Management Services, Friendship Gardens, Friendship Trays, Johnson C. Smith University Sustainability Village, Loaves & Fishes, Roots in the Community Market Foundation, Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina, and West Boulevard Neighborhood Coalition.

Congresswoman Adams is a member of the House Agriculture Committee and the Subcommittee on Nutrition. She began the Adams Hunger Initiative in 2015 to address hunger and food deserts in the 12th District.