5. Nutrition and Food Assistance

5.1 Introduction
Last updated: September 20, 2011

Any examination of the history of agriculture shows its vital importance.  But even as the world progresses in other such sophisticated areas as communications and technology, the simple need to grow and distribute food becomes even more critical.  In a world which during the past 40 years has seen remarkable progress by many nations in agricultural production, the fact remains that the future prospects for meeting world food needs still depend heavily on one nation — the United States.

Several hundred million people in the world struggle for daily survival on incomes which cannot provide even the minimum diet required for good health.  These millions of people spend the majority of their incomes on food, usually the cheapest food that will sustain human life.  In Bangladesh, for example, 80 percent of the total caloric intake has historically come from food grains, and in most of the poorest nations, such grains account for well over half of total calories.  However in the U.S., consumers enjoy the safest, most wholesome, most nutritious, and varied food supply in the world.  The contrast with the developing countries could not be more striking.

In addition to the variety of food available for U.S. consumers, Americans also enjoy the benefits of an inexpensive food supply.  In the United States, the average family spends less than 10 percent of their disposable income on food.  That same family in France spends 16 percent, in Japan 18 percent, in Thailand 29 percent, in Mexico 48 percent, and in India 53 percent.

5.2 Child Nutrition Programs
Last updated: September 20, 2011

School Lunch/Breakfast Programs
Last updated: September 20, 2011

The National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program are a federally assisted meal programs that operate in public and nonprofit private schools and residential child care institutions.  Under the school lunch program, nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches are provided to more than 25 million children every day.  The school breakfast program ensures that eligible children receive a nutritious breakfast every morning.

Through agreements with local school districts and independent schools, USDA provides cash reimbursement and donates assistance for each meal to participants in the program.  In turn for this federal assistance, schools are required to serve lunches that meet federal nutrition requirements, and to offer free and reduced price lunches to eligible children.

In 1994, the USDA began an effort to improve the nutritional quality of school meals through the School Meals Initiative for Healthy Children.  This was the first full reform of the school lunch program since its establishment.  Under this new initiative, school meals are required to conform to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and provides schools with the opportunity to update nutritional standards for meals and expand menu planning options.  It has helped to improve the nutritional quality of school lunches and breakfasts.

The 2002 Farm Bill encouraged institutions participating in the National School Lunch Program to purchase local foods where practical.  The Farm‑to‑School Program provides a means for sending locally grown nutritional fresh fruits and vegetables to schools and gives local producers an additional market for their products.  NASDA opposes any change to this program that would provide less fresh produce to the schools and put local producers at a disadvantage.

Continued support for the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program, and the School Meals for Health Children Initiative will ensure that our nation’s neediest children are guaranteed meals in school that meet proper nutritional guidelines.

Special Milk Program
Last updated: September 20, 2011

Children in schools and child care institutions that do not participate in other federal child nutrition meal service programs can receive milk under the Special Milk Program.  Under the milk program, schools are reimbursed for each half-pint milk they serve.

More than 151 million half-pints of milk were served through the program in 1995. Unflavored and flavored whole milk, low-fat milk, skim milk and cultured buttered milk that meet state and local standards can be offered under this program.

5.3 Food Assistance Programs
Last updated: September 20, 2011

Food Stamp Program
Last updated: September 20, 2011

The food stamp program traces its earliest origins back to the food stamp plan, which helped needy families during the Depression era.  The modern program began as a pilot program in 1961 and was authorized as a permanent program in the Food Stamp Act of 1964.  Expansion of the program occurred most dramatically after 1974 when Congress required all states to offer food stamps to low-income households.  Participation generally peaks in periods of high unemployment, inflation, and recession.

The program helps put food on the table for more than 27 million Americans every day.  It provides low income households with coupons that can be used like cash at most grocery stores to ensure that they have access to a healthy diet.

In 1996, the Congress passed and the President signed legislation reforming welfare programs.  Included in that legislation were changes to both the food stamp and commodity distribution programs.  Most notably, these changes included the implementation of an electronic benefit transfer system, the creation of a means for homeless individuals to utilize food coupons, and authorization for the federal government to purchase various commodities for distribution.  The present Food Stamp program should be broadened to include a coupon program, similar to the WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program, to encourage participants to purchase local agricultural food products.

The effectiveness in providing a healthy diet for the needy under the food stamp program  depends upon improvements in providing food to the needy.  The elimination of provisions allowing for the cash-out of food stamps is important to protecting the program from increased fraud and abuse.

WIC
Last updated: September 20, 2011

Under the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), low income women, infants and children have access to food, nutrition counseling, and health services.  Federal grants are provided to states to support the efforts of the WIC program. At the state level, most WIC programs provide vouchers that participants can use at authorized food stores.  All states including the District of Columbia, 32 tribal organizations, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and Guam participate in the WIC program.

Children tend to be the largest recipient of the WIC benefits, but such benefits are not always able to reach or serve all eligible participants.  Nutritionally at-risk women, infants and children eligible to participate in the program should be able to take advantage of its benefits.

WIC Farmers’ Market
Last updated: September 20, 2011

The WIC farmers’ market nutrition program (FMNP) was established by Congress in 1992 in order to expand the use and awareness of farmers’ markets, and provide locally grown, nutritious, fresh fruits and vegetables from farmers to women, infants, and children who are nutritionally at risk.  The FMNP currently operates in 35 states, Washington, D.C., four Indian tribal organizations, and one territory.  Under the FMNP, WIC participants are provided with a limited promotional and educational benefit to encourage a change in their eating and shopping behavior.  In 2000, more than 2000 farmers’ markets; 13,000 farmers; and 1.9 million women, infants, and children benefited from the FMNP.

One hundred percent of the food funds budgeted for the FMNP go into farmers’ pockets.  In 2000, farmers earned in excess of $17.6 million in direct sales from FMNP coupons.  Two-thirds of the WIC participants said they continue to shop with the farmers after their FMNP benefits are expended.

USDA provides grants to assist states with up to 70 percent of the cost to implement the FMNP.  The success of the FMNP has encouraged additional state departments of agriculture and/or departments of health to seek federal funding to implement the FMNP.  Moreover, states that already have FMNP grants would like to expand their programs to additional farmers’ markets.

FMNP has proven to be a highly cost-effective means to stimulate production of locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables and encourage the growth of farmers’ markets.  These farmers’ markets provide an important outlet for local farmers while enhancing communities and providing consumers a wider variety of choices and greater access to local farm production.

The FMNP is an outstanding investment for agriculture and the nation and should be supported.  Expansion of the WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program to additional states and farmers’ markets should also be strongly supported.

Senior Farmers’ Market
Last updated: September 20, 2011

The Seniors Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) was established as a pilot program in 2001 in an effort to provide a direct tie between nutrition and production agriculture by allowing eligible individuals to purchase fresh local produce directly from farmers.

The SFMNP is designed to increase the consumption of agricultural commodities by expanding or aiding in the development of farmers’ markets and by providing fresh, nutritious, unprepared, locally grown fruits, vegetables, and herbs to low-income seniors.

Scientific research has shown that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables provides essential nutrients and helps reduce the incidence of certain illnesses, including cancer.  I believe this program is critically important to providing seniors- who are increasingly faced with fixed incomes- with these nutritious foods. 

The 2002 Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 allows USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service to continue the program by providing SFMNP grants to 32 states, 3 Indian Tribal Organizations, Guam, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia.  Fiscal year 2002 grants totaled $15 million.

The SFMNP Expect to serve 400,000 low-income senior citizens who utilize coupons to purchase fruit, vegetables and herbs from approximately 3,500 farmers at nearly 2,000 markets, roadside stands or community supported agriculture programs.

NASDA encourages Congress to continue funding for the SFMNP as a means of enhancing the relationship between seniors and local farmers who provide fruits and vegetables at local farmers’ markets. NASDA further supports expanding the program to additional states and farmers’ markets.

5.4 Food Distribution
Last updated: September 20, 2011

TEFAP
Last updated: September 20, 2011

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was passed by Congress in November, 1993.  Its purpose is to remove many of the Mexico — United States and Mexico — Canada trade restrictions.  U.S. farmers will now face increased competition from Mexican producers who do not have the same stringent agrichemical environmental restrictions and farm labor requirements.  NAFTA will allow for greater importation of fruits and vegetables into the United States which will compete with those grown domestically.

USDA purchases commodities for distribution through its various programs.  It is a concern amongst the agricultural sector that the USDA will now purchase a significant amount of product from the other NAFTA members.  Continued purchase of domestic product by USDA would retain a viable market outlet for these U.S. producers.

The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) provides nutritious domestic agricultural products to needy Americans, while also providing support to the agricultural community.  TEFAP is protected under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) giving the United States the ability to support agricultural producers by purchasing domestic commodities for food assistance programs.

Priority should always be given to domestically produced commodities for federally assisted programs. Coordination among government agencies and private organization involved in food assistance distribution should be encouraged to better meet the needs of disadvantaged individuals.

CLOC
Last updated: September 20, 2011

The USDA commodity price stabilization and surplus removal program supports U.S. agriculture when markets are weak and provides immediate and direct benefits to producers.  Only about 13 percent of program funds go to directly support agricultural markets through the commodity program.  The remainder is in cash payments to child nutrition programs.  Commodity foods represent about 20 percent of the food acquired in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP).  Considerable flexibility is currently afforded school districts which can use the vast majority of funds for unrestricted uses including labor, food and other costs.

The positive effect of commodity programs needs to be retained.  The existing commodity distribution program has been extremely valuable in stabilizing market prices of U.S. agricultural commodities and in providing nutritious and cost effective government feeding programs such as the school lunch and school breakfast programs.  The market impact of agricultural support programs is more pronounced when the amount of product removed from the market represents a relatively large portion of the total market for that commodity.

In the early 1980s a pilot program called the Commodity Letter of Credit (CLOC) was established as an alternative to the existing commodity distribution system.  CLOC purchases are made at the consumer end of the food pipeline and USDA purchases are made at or near the producer end.  When a single large entity such as the federal government announces an upcoming large purchase, the market impact can be considerably different than if the approximately 20,000 school districts take delivery of small purchases from commercial distributors.

• USDA has acknowledged that CLOC may not have the advantage of responding quickly to unexpected market changes.  This is particularly true for bonus commodity purchases targeted for specific regional relief.
• USDA can assure the purchase of domestic products, a statutory requirement guiding the commodity program.  Current labeling requirements are not specific enough to provide local purchasers with this information.
• There is no guarantee that USDA funds are used to purchase U.S. produced commodities.  Imported commodities may be being purchased with USDA dollars under the CLOC program.

The last official announcement from USDA did not support continuation or expansion of the Commodity Letter of Credit (CLOC) system.  USDA's position was "The pilot sites testing CLOC and a cash alternative should return to the commodity system.  It is in the best interest of agricultural producers, administrators of commodity distribution systems and recipients of USDA's domestic commodity programs to retain the traditional commodity program.

Traditional USDA commodity price stabilization, surplus removal and distribution programs should be continued.  However, expansion of the Commodity Letter of Credit program should not be undertaken since it has not proven to be a viable alternative.

5.5 Gleaning and Food Recovery
Last updated: September 20, 2011

No one should ever go hungry in America.  But, yet, millions of pounds of food each year goes to waste and many poor and needy people go hungry.  Efforts to recover millions of pounds of food before going to waste and to redirect it to the poor and the needy is important to agriculture and the American people.