Running head: FOOD INSECURITY & SOCIAL WELFARE POLICIES

Food Insecurity and Social Welfare Policies

Crystal Manney
SW 4710
October 27, 2105

FOOD INSECURITY & SOCIAL WELFARE POLICIES

Abstract
Food insecurity is increasingly becoming a serious problem in our country. It is known to
exist among the poor, but there are more middle-class families in need of food assistance. This
paper will explore the historical policies and programs put into place and how they relate to the
ones that are in place today. It will define many different governmental programs that have been
implemented in cities, counties, and states across the United States of America to combat food
insecurity. It will also examine how other countries deal with food insecurity and what, if any
food assistance programs they have implemented.

FOOD INSECURITY & SOCIAL WELFARE POLICIES

Food Insecurity and Social Welfare Policies
Food insecurity is no longer an issue that is read about or heard on television concerning
impoverished countries across the world. So many American families will go to bed hungry
tonight. Some may not know where their next meal will come from. This can be observed in a
survey done by Adach (2014):
More than two-thirds believe that children often eat less nutritious and cheap food so
their parents can scrape together money to pay the rent, that seniors often choose whether
to pay for prescriptions or food, that families could go a week without fresh produce, and
that many children are going hungry in the summer when school is out (para.2).
In such a wealthy country, why are so many people dealing with food insecurities? Even
when affordable food is available, it has little to no nutritional value. According to the United
States Department of Agriculture (USDA) food security/insecurity is defined as follows (2015):
Food Security
High food security (old label=Food security): no reported indications of food-access
problems or limitations.
Marginal food security (old label=Food security): one or two reported indications
typically of anxiety over food sufficiency or shortage of food in the house. Little or no
indication of changes in diets or food intake.
Food Insecurity
Low food security (old label=Food insecurity without hunger): reports of reduced
quality, variety, or desirability of diet. Little or no indication of reduced food intake.
Very low food security (old label=Food insecurity with hunger): Reports of multiple
indications of disrupted eating patterns and reduced food intake (para. 2).

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Policies/Programs for Everyone
The United States has a long history with various food assistance programs. One of the
first programs that helped low-income families was the surplus commodities program as
explained here by MacDonald (1977):
The basic legislation first authorizing food assistance for low-income persons in the
United States was initiated during the Great Depression to encourage exports of
agricultural commodities produced to finance adjustments in quantities of agricultural
commodities produced for marketThe last authorization permitted the purchase of
surplus farm products for the distribution to the needy families and school lunch
programs...(p. 643).
This type of assistance had many flaws for example; the only food given to the poor was the
surplus the farmer had left, it was distributed on a monthly basis, and it did not address the
nutritional needs of the poor. According to Landers (2007), Secretary of Agriculture Henry
Wallace had the first idea for a Food Stamp program (p. 1946). This program was not free for
eligible recipients. Landers (2007) describes how this program worked:
An eligible person would spend cash they ordinarily used for food to purchase blue
stamps. As a bonus they received $.50 worth of blue stamps for every dollar they spent.
They could use the orange food stamps as well, but the blue could only be spent for foods
the USDA had declared a surplus (p. 1946).
This program seemed to help agriculture, not families. This two-stamp program ended in 1943.
When John F Kennedy took office in 1961 the food stamp program was reinstated.
Recipients were still required to purchase stamps, but they did not have special stamps or have to
purchase foods that were considered surplus (Landers, 2007).

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In 1964, as a part of the War on Poverty, during Lyndon B. Johnsons presidency the
Food Stamp program became permanent. It was called the Food Stamp Act of 1964 (Landers,
2007).
The Food Stamp Act of 1977 changed many of the former restrictions such as: the need
to purchase stamps, which allowed those who had no money to buy them, they are now able to
participate, the required access to cooking facilities, which now allows the homeless to
participate. New income eligibility guidelines were created, and it required that bilingual
personal, materials, and nutritional education information be available. It also allowed for Native
American Indian Reservations the ability to choose between commodity food or food stamps
(Landers, 2007). This Act closely resembles what is available to low-income families today;
there have been many changes and cuts to the program due to economic situations. These
changes have helped more people gain access to food assistance. In 2000, the program evolved
into an electronic debit food stamp benefit. In 2008, The Food and Nutrition Act renamed the
Food Stamp Program to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). With this
new name began new limitations and guidelines. According to Pomeranz & Chirqui (2015),
SNAP is the largest food assistance program in the United States serving approximately 47
million people (p. 428).
Another program that helps low-income families is The Emergency Food Assistance
Program (TEFAP). This is a program that helps low-income families, including elderly people,
by providing them with emergency food and nutrition assistance at no cost.
Policies/Programs for Women and Children
There are other types of food assistance programs that specifically help women and children. The
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is a program

FOOD INSECURITY & SOCIAL WELFARE POLICIES

that helps low-income families. According to the United States Department of Agriculture Food
and Nutrition Department (USDA-FNS) (2015), this program provides federal grants to states
for supplemental foods, health care referrals, and nutrition education for low-income pregnant,
breastfeeding, and non-breastfeeding postpartum women, and to infants and children up to age
five who are found to be at nutritional risk (para.1). A program that coincides with WIC is the
Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP), it provides participants access to fresh, unprepared
nutritious fruits, vegetables, and herbs from local farmers at the local farmers market.
The School Breakfast Program (SBP), which falls under the USDA, provides breakfast in
schools and residential childcare institutions. This program ensures that children who do not
have any food to eat at home are given a nutritious meal while attending school. This is
important, as we need to fuel our minds in order to be attentive in class (USDA-FNS, 2015
para.1).
The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is a program designed for public and
private schools and residential child care institutions. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost
or free lunches to children each school day. Without access to health foods children will not have
adequate nutrition to grow and learn (USDA-FNS, 2015 para.3)
The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) ensures that low-income children have the
ability to eat nutritious meals when school is not in session. During the summer months, USDA
plans to serve more than 200 million free meals to children 18 years and under at approved SFSP
sites (USDA, 2015 para.1).
Policies/Programs for Older Adults
So many older adults are living on fixed incomes and do not have enough money to
purchase nutritious foods on their budget. There are programs in place to assist older adults in

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obtaining a variety of healthy and nutritious foods. The Commodity Supplemental Food Program
(CSFP) helps to improve the health of low-income older adults at least 60 years of age and The
Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) provides low-income seniors with coupons
that can be exchanged for eligible foods (fruits, vegetables, honey, and fresh-cut herbs) at
farmers' markets, roadside stands, and community-supported agriculture programs (USDA, 2015
para.2).
Who Dictates Policies?
There are many different food assistance programs and each one is funded differently.
Some programs are dually funded by federal, state, or local entities or organizations. According
to Pomeranz and Chirqui (2015), SNAP is administered jointly by the United States Department
of Agriculture (USDA) and state governmentsIt is important to note that food purchased with
SNAP benefits are exempt from local and state taxes (p. 431).
The Emergency Food Assistance Program (EFAP) is also federally funded. It provides
food and administrative funds to states to supplement low-income persons diets.
Congress established the WIC Program in 1992. The National WIC Association (2012)
dictates policy as follows:
WIC is a public health nutrition program under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). It is a domestic discretionary program
and is funded annually through the appropriations committee process, for the Federal
fiscal year of Oct 1Sept 30, by grants to each state. Implementing legislation, FNS
provides funding and policy guidance and creates regulations (para.1). With regards to
the WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP), states can limit sales to specific

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foods grown within state borders to encourage FMNP participants to support local
farmers (USDA-FNS para.2).
The Breakfast Food Program (SBP) funding provides cash assistance to states to operate
these programs. The Food and Nutrition Service administers SBP programs at the federal level.
State education agencies administer SBP at the state level, and local school food authorities
operate the Program in schools. (USDA-FNS, 2015 para.1)
The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is federally funded; this program was
established under the National School Lunch Act, signed by President Harry Truman in 1946.
The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) is a federally funded, state-administered
program. The SFSP reimburses providers who serve healthy meals to children and teens in lowincome areas at no charge primarily during the summer months when school is not in session.
(USDA-FNS, 2015 para.1)
The USDA distributes the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP). It distributes
both food and administrative funds to participating states and Native American Indian Tribal
Organizations.
The Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) awards grants to states, U.S.
Territories, and federally recognized Native American Indian tribal governments to provide lowincome seniors with coupons that can be exchanged for eligible foods (fruits, vegetables, honey,
and fresh-cut herbs) at farmers' markets, roadside stands, and community-supported agriculture
programs. The SFMNP is administered by state agencies such as the Michigan Department of
Agriculture or Agency on Aging (USDA-FNS, 2015 para.1).

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What is Working/What is Not
Different food assistance programs have some type of advantage or disadvantage. The
Snap Program throughout history has become more user friendly for example; from not having to
buy stamps to utilizing an electronic debit card transaction, this program has become more
efficient. The program also helps a diverse group of populations from families, to homeless
people, and older adults. For many families this program allows them to obtain healthy nutritious
foods that they might not otherwise be able to purchase. This program has benefitted many lowincome families for many years. With new regulations this program now has a limit on the
number of years a person can be eligible. Benefit periods can range from 1 month to 3 years
(SNAP, 2014 para.10). This is a terrible disadvantage as there are so many families that have
endured economic situations such as, loss of employment, death in the family, issues stemming
from the recession, and other economic issues such as low pay rates. These new guidelines only
hurt those who have a great need for food assistance. There are many families who are just
outside the parameters of acceptable income and are not able to get any food assistance and have
to rely on local food banks and churches in order to obtain food. There needs to be a better
system put into place that ensures no one goes hungry in our country.
Who Supports
Feeding America (2015) is defined as, a network of food banks that works to educate
elected officials about the impact of food insecurity in their communities and identify and
advance policy solutions to put struggling families on the road to healthy, hunger-free lives
(para.1).
The following companies have their own financial gain in mind, rather than providing
healthy options for SNAP recipients. These major corporations and food groups include; Pepsi,

FOOD INSECURITY & SOCIAL WELFARE POLICIES

Kraft Foods, Kroger, Coca-Cola, and the Corn Refiners of America. They have spent a lot time
and financial resources lobbying to expand SNAP and ensuring that participants have the
freedom to choose how to use their benefits, which could include the unlimited purchase of soda
and junk food (Tuttle, 2012).
Democrats support more tax dollars going to welfare and food stamps They believe the
federal and state governments should run social welfare programs (Markey, 2012 para.4).
According to Adach (2013), new polling data released by the Food Research and Action
Center (FRAC) show that support for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP,
formerly known as food stamps) remains high. Seven in 10 voters say that cutting food stamp
funding is the wrong way to reduce government spending (para.1).
Who Opposes
The Republican Party has always been opposed to any public food assistance programs.
The Republicans have always argued that people are cheating the system. Republicans believe
that many people enrolled in social welfare programs can automatically receive food stamps, no
matter what their savings are. There is no question that the food stamp program is expensive and
growing. Enrollment in the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has
increased and is costing the government more money (Weissmann, 2012).
Advocates
Congressman Peters advocates for social welfare programs that help low-income
families, and believes in creating jobs so people can better support their families. After voting on
legislation that could affect food assistance programs, such as SNAP, Congressman Peters stated
this:
I could not support the enormous cuts to SNAP that were proposed today. While there are

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undoubtedly places to cut waste and fraud within the program, as well as improve
efficiency to save costs, this proposal would cut nearly half of the program. SNAP
provides nutrition assistance to those most in need. 92% of recipients are children, the
elderly, the disabled, or are already working. For Americans relying on SNAP benefits to
put food on the table, this is a draconian cut that in this slow economic recovery they can
least afford. It is time that Congress got back to work creating jobs and economic
opportunities for Americans rather than cutting the safety net out from under the most
vulnerable (para.2).
Bernie Sanders is also an advocate for social welfare programs like SNAP, WIC, and
many others that allow the low-income families to obtain necessary the resources to live and eat
healthy. He believes in the bigger picture not the bottom line. He shared this, How a nation
treats its least fortunate citizens say a lot about a country. Should a great nation like the United
States only worry about the bottom line? Is our nation so consumed with money that we simply
refuse to help those in need? All Americans should be given the support they need to succeed,
instead of being neglected or exploited (Sanders, 2015 para.5).
Conclusion
The information detailed in this paper has shown that many people regardless of age or
income have a real need for food assistance programs. There is a multitude of food programs in
existence in our state and country to combat food insecurities and hunger. More research needs
to be done to see how effective these programs are and how they can be improved. This country
is torn between political parties and how willing they are to help those in need. There are
differing opinions on how these needs should be met. The Democrats fight to keep important
food assistance programs in place and the Republicans try to make drastic cuts and stop them. In

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this political game there are no winners, its the low-income families with women, children, and
older adults who pay the highest price. The lack of healthy, nutritious foods can be detrimental to
the growth and health of our countrys future.

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References
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cuts. Retrieved from Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) website:
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Adach, J. (2014). Attitudes towards hunger. Retrieved from http://frac.org/press-room/pollingdata/
Coleman-Jensen, A., Gregory, C., & Rabbitt, M. (2015). USDA ERS Food security in the U.S.;
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Landers, P. S., (2007). The food stamp program: History, nutrition, education, and impact.
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MacDonald, M. (1977). Food stamps: An analytical history. Social Service Review, 51 (4), 642658. Retrieved from: http://www.jstor.org/stable/30015546
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http://s3.amazonaws.com/aws.upl/nwica.org/WICFunding

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Pomeranz, J. & Chriqui, J. (2015). The supplemental nutrition assistance program: Analysis of
program administration and food law definitions. American Journal of Preventative
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United States Congressman Peters (2013). Congressman Peters Opposes Massive Cuts to Food
Assistance Programs. [Press release]. Retrieved from https://scottpeters.house.gov/mediacenter/press-releases/congressman-peters-opposes-massive-cuts-to-food-assistanceprograms
United States Department of Agriculture. (2015). Commodity supplemental food program
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United States Department of Agriculture. (2015). USDA summer food service program.
Retrieved form http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/sfsp/SFSP-Fact-Sheet.pdf

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United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service. (2015). Women, infants,
and children. Retrieved from http://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/women-infants-and-childrenwic
Weissman, J. (2012). Why are republicans waging war on food stamps now?. Retrieved from
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