Food Stamp Benefits in Jeopardy

I would also make it explicit that these proposed cuts are to the federal budgeting of the Farm Bill, which is a larger legislation that includes SNAP, farm subsidies and rural development among many other things. Even as sequestration/the Fiscal Cliff is approaching us on March 1, the Farm Bill was extended for further review and is thus exempt from automatic cuts next month (as are other mandatory programs that can be decided upon outside of the annual appropriations process). However, I last read that the Senate proposes $4 billion in deficit reduction via cuts to the Farm Bill while the House has proposed $16 billion. Considering that 90% of SNAP benefits are redeemed by the 3rd week of each month, it is very much so likely that Foodlink and their partner agencies would experience even larger turnouts and higher levels of food insecurity as people feel in the grocery gap with food cupboards and kitchens. On the contrary, I understand it that Foodlink has most recently been focusing their advocacy efforts and galvanizing community members to contact their state representatives in regards to HPNAP (Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program), which is a state level funding for emergency food organizations. Food banks like Foodlink rely on HPNAP through a contractual basis with the State of NY. However, proposed State budgeting suggests that that certainty may be at risk, and therefore impeding their ability to determine the food bank%u2019s financing and money flow ahead of time. See here for more info on how HPNAP funding can be threatened in the event that it switches over from a State line item to a block grant that includes other State funds for a myriad of programs: http://foodlinkny.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/HPNAP-Action-Alert-for-agencies-1pager5.pdf