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Trump suffers first defeat but as always doubles down for the next fight; From Ohio to Azerbaijan: How COP29 could shape local farming; Funding boosts 'green' projects in Meadville, PA; VA apprenticeships bridge skills gaps, offer career stability.

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Trump has a new pick for Attorney General, his incoming "border czar" warns local Democratic officials not to impede mass deportation, and the House passes legislation that could target any nonprofit group accused of supporting terrorism.

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The CDC has a new plan to improve the health of rural Americans, updated data could better prepare folks for flash floods like those that devastated Appalachia, and Native American Tribes could play a key role in the nation's energy future.

Food Bank: SNAP Cuts Causing More Hunger in AZ

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Tuesday, January 14, 2014   

PHOENIX - The federal government's cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP and still often called food stamps, are being felt in Arizona. A 5 percent cut in SNAP benefits took effect in November, amounting to about $36 per month for a family of four.

According to Jerry Brown, the director of public relations for St. Mary's Food Bank Alliance, the reduction can mean many lost meals for those living on the edge of hunger.

"The amount of money that people receive in food stamps doesn't seem like a lot, but when it's all you have as far as a food budget for the month, any cuts at all are going to have an impact and we certainly saw that," he declared.

Brown said the food bank gets busier at the end of the month when people start to run low on SNAP benefits and rely more on emergency food boxes.

There could be even deeper cuts to the nutrition program, as Congress is considering trimming several billion dollars more from SNAP, shifting the responsibility of feeding the hungry onto nonprofit agencies that are already struggling.

Brown said America's children may suffer the most.

"One in four children in Arizona are part of families that are at the poverty level, which is basically $24,000 a year. The national average is one in five. Only New Mexico has a higher rate of child poverty in the United States than Arizona," Brown said.

Those further cuts to SNAP benefits are being debated as Congress tries to renew the federal Farm Bill, of which SNAP is a major component. The last five-year Farm Bill ended in September. The Senate approved $4 billion in SNAP cuts, while the House wants a $39 billion reduction over ten years. There are reports that Congress may be close to reaching a compromise at around $8 billion in cuts to the food benefits.




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