Nutrition Garners Attention

Although no specific mark up is scheduled, the nutrition title of the Farm Bill reauthorization received attention this week from Sens. Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Richard Lugar (R-IN). Sen. Harkin, chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, advocated funding increases at a party policy lunch, while Sen. Lugar introduced a new bill for the Farm Bill reauthorization. Although many proposals have been mentioned over the last few months, and the Farm Bill has been the most consistent of the many different reauthorizations this year with four subcommittee mark ups already finished, there still has not been any mark up for the nutrition title. At this time no such hearing is scheduled.

On Tuesday, June 5, the Democratic Party held a policy luncheon, which coincided with National Hunger Awareness Day, where Sen. Harkin served bologna sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, and fruit punch in an attempt to demonstrate an average meal that food stamp recipients can buy with a dollar. The less than stellar menu was an attempt to convince his colleagues that nutrition programs in the 2007 farm bill need to be expanded by at least $3.6 billion.
Earlier this session, Harkin introduced S. 771, the Child Nutrition Promotion and School Lunch Protection Act, which updates the definition of nutritional foods, and applies restrictions on unhealthy foods sold all over public school campuses. When Harkin’s committee finally gets around to marking up the nutrition title of the Farm Bill, expect him to be a vocal supporter for expanding various nutrition programs. Although Harkin’s message may not have caught on with the whole party, his advocacy seems to have made an impact on Senate majority leader Harry Reid (D-NV), who has stated his support for Harkin’s provisions.
On the other side of the isle, Sen. Lugar, also coinciding with National Hunger Awareness Day, took time to discuss S. 1422, the Food and Agriculture Risk Management for the 21st Century Act (FARM 21). Lugar’s bill would direct savings into nutrition programs as well as deficit reduction, conservation efforts and renewable energy development. As with Harkin, Lugar is expected to be a key supporter for expansion of nutrition programs under the Farm Bill. Specifically, the nutrition title of Lugar’s bill calls for approximately $6 billion in funding for programs that would:
• Expand the Simplified Summer Food Program nationwide, which helps fill the gap in low-income neighborhoods by providing needy children with nutrition during the summer months when school lunches are not provided;
• Expand the Fresh Fruits and Vegetables grant program nationwide, which provides healthy snacks to students at school, with the goal of 100 participating schools per state;
• Increase the standard deduction for Food Stamp recipients from $134 to $143 and index it for inflation in order to help Food Stamp recipients in their purchasing power;
• Increase the asset limit for Food Stamp beneficiaries by adjusting for inflation the allowable liquid assets one can have to still be eligible for Food Stamps. The proposal would also exempt savings accounts for education and retirement from eligibility determination, a proposal supported by the Bush Administration;
• Exempt combat zone pay from being included as countable income during deployment for military families seeking Food Stamp assistance;
• Eliminate the deduction cap on child care expenses to allow families to deduct the full cost of child care in determining eligibility in the Food Stamp program;
• Fund technology needed to allow farmers' markets to accept Food Stamps;
• Increase funding for the McGovern-Dole program, which provides food assistance in secular schools in developing nations. The program has shown success in improving attendance of children, especially girls;
• Increase mandatory funding for The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) from $140 million per year to $245 million per year by 2011 and adjust it annually for inflation in subsequent years; and
• Assist food banks, and other non-profit organizations, in increasing hunger alleviations services to underserved and rural communities by providing a $5 million per year grant program to improve infrastructure needs.
Resources:
Sen. Lugar Press Release: http://lugar.senate.gov/press/record.cfm?id=275446&&year=2007&
Catharine Richert, “Harkin: Let ‘Em Eat Bologna — Unless They’re On a Diet,” CQ Today, June 5, 2007.
Author: SAS