The November continuing resolution included a one-year extension of the 2018 farm bill, marking a temporary reprieve for Marylanders relying on nutrition programs.

The extension will hold spending at 2018 levels through September 30. But in the years since the last farm bill was passed, the nation has seen dramatic food-price inflation.

The historical average food-price increase was around 2% per year, but in 2022 food-at-home prices increased 11% - and while inflation has slowed recently, another 5% increase was seen in 2023.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture predicts food price inflation will continue to slow in 2024, but that will not undo the price increases seen in recent years.

The political prospects for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP have been up and down since the summer, but Michael J Wilson - director of the nonprofit Maryland Hunger Solutions - said cuts to nutrition programs reverberate through the economy.

"When we make cuts - in SNAP, for example - it doesn't just hurt low-income folks," said Wilson. "It hurts the entire food system, where we're losing additional revenue - for grocery stores, for farmers' markets, for farmers, for producers. We really hope that Congress will look at this holistically and systemically and not just politically."

Wilson said when the SNAP emergency allotments ended last March, it reduced the amount of money in the Maryland economy by $69 million a month.

Nutrition supports in the farm bill are numerous and not limited to SNAP.

They include the Emergency Food Assistance Program, the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, and focused programs such as the Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program - which provide low-income seniors with access to locally grown fruits, vegetables, honey and herbs.

Looking at the bigger picture Wilson said emerging science is reminding us about the importance of nutrition.

"The thing that's a little novel is the way we're now talking about food as medicine," said Wilson. "Because we recognize that people who don't have access to nutritious food has an impact on their health, has an impact on our health-care system, has an impact on both Medicaid and Medicare."

Data from the Congressional Research Service reports that more than 41 million Americans rely on nutrition assistance in the average month.





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A New York City nonprofit is helping communities fight food insecurity.

Rethink Food began in 2017 with the mission of taking excess food from top restaurants such as Eleven Madison Park to be redistributed to food-insecure communities across the city. Despite declines, post-pandemic food insecurity in the city remains high as one in nine families doesn't often have enough to eat.

Matt Jozwiak, founder and CEO of Rethink Food, said the organization filled a unique niche during the pandemic.

"There's not a lot of nonprofits that are working with, like, a soul-food restaurant in Harlem and a community center down the street," Jozwiak pointed out. "We were really ready and prepared even before the lockdown. We put together a plan to basically grant capital resources to small businesses to make meals for local community centers."

As beneficial as the group's work is, Jozwiak acknowledged some neighborhoods do not care for certain meals. He noted some areas might not care for couscous while others are not big on dairy-based dishes. The feedback has helped guide Rethink Food's work. He added they are branching out to work in other areas, such as developing medically tailored meals.

Beyond food excess, Rethink Food is looking to see how it can improve food procurement in New York City. The city has been seeking out ways to diversify its food procurement systems.

Ken Baker, culinary director for the group, said Rethink Food and the coalition of primarily independent, minority, women-owned restaurants they work with can do it.

"We know restaurants run on tight margins; us being the primary cudgel that holds that capacity in place, and then we subcontract out that capacity to restaurant partners," Baker explained. "(It) gives them a meaningful way to have a stakehold in their community and demonstrate their ability to compete with your big players."

The challenge in doing it is lacking trust in getting paid on time by the city. Reports showed the number of procurement contracts registered late has grown since 2021. For the first half of 2024, 77% of contracts were registered late, resulting in payment delays for numerous businesses.

The Ohio Association of Foodbanks has recently sounded the alarm over worsening conditions in the state's hunger relief network, with food insecurity continuing to rise. A new report says Ohioans are forced to make difficult choices between food and other essential needs.

Joree Novotny, executive director, Ohio Association of Foodbanks, said this concerning trend is not limited to Ohio but reflects a broader national struggle.

"Things for us in the Charitable Hunger Relief Network in Ohio and across the rest of the country are not getting better. They're actually worsening," Novotny said.

Despite these challenges, the federal government has yet to reauthorize the Farm Bill, which Novotny says is vital for funding programs such as the Emergency Food Assistance Program. As a result, food banks are receiving less food, even as demand increases.

Novotny emphasized the need for both state and federal action to prevent further hardship.

"About two-thirds of the households that we're serving across Ohio told us that the adults in their households are skipping meals or cutting the size of meals because they didn't have enough food," she stressed.

With Ohio's state budget discussions underway and the Farm Bill still pending, the future of hunger relief efforts remains uncertain. Novotny says the recent report shows why more consistent support to address food insecurity is increasingly urgent.

Colorado students will not go hungry this school year, thanks to the Healthy School Meals for All initiative approved by voters in 2022.

Their parents will need to fill out some paperwork to tap critical federal dollars to help pay for the popular program.

Laura Segura, a community council member of Hunger Free Colorado and a parent, urged parents to complete their child's school benefits form no later than Sept. 30.

"We need to fill out those forms, no matter what," Segura stressed. "If the parents don't do their job, which is to advocate for their kid's needs, who else is going to do that?"

The one-page application goes by many names depending on the school district: school, meal, community or educational benefits. Segura emphasized if parents and caregivers do not know how to access the form, they should contact their child's school.

Filling out the form helps bring federal taxes already paid by Coloradans back to the state to help pay for school meals. It also helps families and schools get Summer EBT benefits, get discounts on school fees and activities and other community benefits.

School districts have until Sept. 16 to officially opt into the meal program and most of the state's largest districts are already on board. Segura noted investing in children's nutrition pays significant dividends in their health, academic success and lifetime earning potential. She added it is much harder to stay focused in the classroom on an empty stomach.

"If the kids don't have what they need, they are going to suffer mentally, emotionally and physically," Segura asserted. "Most importantly, they are not going to be focused on their academics."

A recent poll found 70% of Republicans, 79% of independents and 91% of Democrats support Healthy School Meals for All, which is paid for by Coloradans earning $300,000 or more per year.

Since its launch, participation in school breakfasts has grown by 36%, and lunch participation is up by 31%.