Earlier this month, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a Farm Bill that did not include funds for Food Stamps.  Read more here (Missing: The Food Stamp Program, NY Times Editorial, 7/12/13).

Since 1973, legislative sections of the Farm Bill have paired farm funding and the nutritional needs of people who are food insecure. However, this is all changing with the new Farm Bill, which will remove Food Stamps from the Farm Bill.  Over a million Americans, and 1.9 million New Yorkers, depend on Food Stamps.  The fight for Food Stamps as an important safety net for so many New Yorkers cannot be minimized.

According to many Food Stamp advocates, the House’s decision has only benefitted agribusiness and not the hungry.  Three local politicians, Christine Quinn, Annabel Palma and Helen D. Foster, are calling for Congress to come to a solution to address the health and nutritional needs of New Yorkers and Americans who cannot afford enough food to meet their nutritional needs.

What you can do:
1. Call for a Senate-House conference committee to restore the food stamp program in the Farm Bill.  Contact your representatives to let them know how you feel: Kirsten Gillibrand, Charles Schumer or http://www.house.gov/

2. Tell Food Stamp advocates that you support their efforts:
Christine C. Quinn
Speaker
NYC Council
Contact info: http://council.nyc.gov/d3/html/members/home.shtml

Annabel Palma
Chair, General Welfare Committee
NYC Council
Contact info: http://council.nyc.gov/d18/html/members/home.shtml

Helen D. Foster,
Chair, State & Federal Legislation Committee
NYC Council
Contact info: http://council.nyc.gov/d16/html/members/home.shtml