2.7.2014 CFPA is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of low-income Californians by increasing their access to nutritious, affordable food and has actively opposed any Farm Bill proposal that includes cuts to SNAP. Cutting essential nutrition benefits for low-income Californians, who are already struggling to make ends meet during this slow economic recovery, directly impedes access to nutritious, affordable food.
The Agricultural Act of 2014, signed into law by President Obama today, reduces SNAP spending by $8.9 billion over ten years. Benefits will be reduced by restricting ‘Heat and Eat’which has allowed states to align utility and food assistance benefits, thus simplifying application paperwork, increasing administrative efficiency and increasing benefits for some low-income households.
CFPA has long recognized the inadequacy of monthly SNAP benefits, and in 2011 CFPA worked to establish ‘Heat and Eat’in California via our sponsorship of AB 6 (Fuentes). For CalFresh administrators, it means quicker application processing and helping more people more efficiently. For applicants, it means less paperwork and greater food assistance.
With the signing of the Farm Bill, approximately 320,000 households in California will see their monthly benefits decline by an average of $62. At a time when the economy is still recovering and when people are still struggling, these cuts mean less food on the table.
In addition to the Heat and Eat amendment the Farm Bill includes several additional provisions and amendments that will impact California SNAP households. An analysis of these individual changes is available via the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. link
CFPA will provide follow-up information to our partners as it becomes available and will engage in state level advocacy in the coming months to ensure that these changes are implemented while mitigating the negative impact on CalFresh households as much as possible.
Call to action
CFPA calls on Congress and President Obama to recommit to his 2008 pledge to end childhood hunger by 2015. To achieve that goal, we urge policymakers to:
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Promote policies that improve the adequacy of SNAP benefits
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Reinvest in SNAP by rebudgeting or increasing benefit allocations set through the Thrifty Food Plan
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Support policies to bolster the purchasing power of low-income households
- Raise the federal minimum wage
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Strengthen the social safety net
