Policy Updates
The Senate Agriculture Committee Passes a Farm Bill
The Senate Agriculture Committee released their draft of the Farm Bill on Friday, April 20 and “marked up” the bill on April 26. The bill passed out of the committee by a vote of 16-5. The bill includes $23 billion in cuts over 10 years by cutting $15 billion from the Commodity Title, $6 billion from Conservation programs and $4.49 billion from nutrition programs. The nutrition program cut is a cut to SNAP. Seniors and disabled individuals in New York and 14 other states would feel the brunt of that cut due to significant cuts to the “Heat and Eat” program. The program impacts 275,000 New Yorkers across the state, and 190,000 in NYC. Senator Gillibrand was the lone Democrat opposing the bill because of its cuts to SNAP. In spite of the SNAP cut, some positive parts of the bill include:
• TEFAP – an increase of $50 M, to $150 M in TEFAP commodities (over 10 years)
• Hunger-Free Community Incentive Grants–Nutrition incentive programs to increase fruit and vegetable purchases by SNAP customers at farmers markets. Mandatory Funding averages $20 M a year over the life of the bill.
• Healthy Food Financing Initiative – funded at $125 M
• Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program – Local food added to the existing very popular farmers market promotion program. Funding doubled to $20 M a year.
• Specialty Crop Block Grants – Funding increased to $70 M per year for five years from the current level of $55 million with provisions to allow multistate programs.
• Community Food Projects – Funding doubled to $10 M
• Innovations in SNAP – Establish Pilot program for mobile technology and online ordering, as well as an amendment to permit SNAP redemption by Community supported agriculture.
• Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program – Mandatory funding maintained at $20 m annually.
Next Steps: The bill will likely come to the Senate floor for a full Senate vote within the month of June. The House Agriculture committee may mark up a bill by June. For more information about the Farm Bill click here.
House Agriculture Committee Proposes to Cut SNAP Funding in the Federal Budget
As a reminder, the House approved a proposed budget on March 29 that includes a $33.5 B cut to programs under the House Agriculture Committee’s jurisdiction. On April 18, the House Agriculture Committee voted to take the entire cut from the SNAP program, rather than spreading the cut across programs. The vote was largely viewed as a political maneuver that would not make any headway upon appearance in the Senate. However, it is a preamble to what we can expect from the House – hunger relief programs will experience the deepest spending cuts.
Next Steps: Senate leadership has said that it will not consider a budget resolution this year so they will not vote on the House Budget Resolution or draft their own version. This means continuing resolutions will likely be passed to fund the government until a negotiated budget can be agreed to. This will likely happen AFTER the presidential election.
Agricultural Appropriations Complicated By Differences in the House and Senate
On April 26th the Senate Appropriations Committee passed the FY 2013 Agriculture Appropriations bill and the bill is now expected to go to the Senate floor for consideration. Meanwhile the House Agriculture Appropriations Committee is expected to take up their version of the FY 2013 Agriculture Appropriations bill in the coming month. The Senate is moving forward with the FY 2013 appropriations process under the spending guidelines set out in the Budget Control Act (also known as the “debt ceiling deal”) whereas the House has lowered spending caps below those outlined in the act. The differences in spending levels between the two committees will complicate matters as the Senate and House begin to agree on appropriations for FY 2013.
New York City Council Overrides Bloomberg’s Veto and Passes ‘Living Wage’ Bill
In a 45-5 vote the City Council voted to override Mayor Bloomberg’s veto of the ‘living wage’ bill on May 1st. The bill will raise the minimum wage to $10 an hour plus benefits, or $11.50 an hour without benefits for employees who work for developers that receive $1 million or more in city subsidies to pay their workers. Hunger and food insecurity stem from poverty and supporting workers with a ‘living wage’ will help more individuals and families to afford to put food on the table.
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