Urge lawmakers to oppose cuts in food stamp funds

The U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee was expected to mark up the farm bill last week, with the House marking up its bill on Wednesday. These sessions will be absolutely critical to hungry Iowans because the SNAP program (food stamps) is funded through the farm bill. Ninety-nine cents of every benefit dollar in this highly effective program reaches eligible participants and is spent on authorized food purchases.

The Hawkeye Area Community Action Program reports that one in five elementary school students in their service area go to bed hungry at least once a week. We know that hunger interferes with learning and school achievement. We also know that inadequate nutrition even earlier, during the first 1,000 days of life, causes irreversible physical and cognitive damage, reducing future earnings and increasing costs for chronic health problems.

Meals on Wheels, serving those at the other end of life, last year reported a 34 percent increase in senior hunger since the start of the recession in 2007.

Iowans should urge Sens. Chuck Grassley and Tom Harkin, both on the Senate Agriculture Committee, to strongly oppose any cuts to SNAP funding. Iowans also should urge their members of the House committee to do the same.

Ellen Fisher

Cedar Rapids