Shown is a sign at a grocery store noting the acceptance of electronic benefit transfer, or EBT, cards, on Dec. 4, 2019 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Since the catch-all agricultural legislation known as the farm bill has expired, Congress needs to pass a new iteration that could determine the future of programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, that the roughly 180,000 Mainers rely on to keep themselves fed.
Congress rewrites the farm bill every five years to set policy and funding levels for farm, food and conservation programs. Though the current bill expired, programs will be funded through the end of the year, but Congress needs to take action to avoid major consequences beyond that.
Republicans and Democrats have been unable to agree on key aspects, such as whether to cut climate and nutritional programs in the bill, leading to a stalemate that’s expected to last until after the election.
In May, the House Agriculture Committee approved a farm bill proposal that offers some improvements to nutritional assistance, such as granting SNAP eligibility to people who were previously convicted of drug-related felony crimes. However, it also proposes limitations on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s authority to adjust costs to accurately reflect that of a realistic, healthy diet.
Some experts have said those limitations could cut $30 billion from those programs in future years, affecting 40 million people. In Maine, one in eight people — and one in five children — face hunger, according to Feeding America data.
Maine Morning Star asked Maine’s congressional candidates if they would support a farm bill that reduces nutritional assistance programs. While the overwhelming majority were not in favor of cutting those benefits, there were some concerns about overall federal spending and the national deficit.
Three candidates did not respond to the question: They include Republican state Rep. Austin Theriault, who is running for the 2nd Congressional District, and two Senate candidates including independent incumbent U.S. Sen. Angus King and Republican Demi Kouzounas.
Senate candidates
Having grown up in poverty, U.S. Senate candidate Jason Cherry, an independent, said he understands the anxiety families can experience from food insecurity.
Given that one of the government’s roles, he said, is to address the basic needs of citizens, coupled with increased living costs, Cherry said he’s not inclined to support reductions to nutritional assistance.
“Absent information that SNAP benefits are being abused or granted to individuals without “true need,” Cherry said. “I would not support such reductions.”
Democratic candidate David Costello said he would rather increase funding for nutritional assistance. He added that he would support a farm bill that reduces subsidies to large agricultural landowners and shifts that funding to nutrition programs like SNAP and other rural development initiatives.
In 2019, King opposed a proposal that would have curtailed SNAP benefits for low-income children, seniors and people with disabilities.
1st Congressional District
Ron Russell, a Republican running for the 1st Congressional District, said he’s not inclined to make those cuts, but choices will need to be made given the federal government’s $1.9 trillion deficit.
“That is unsustainable and we’ll have to cut some programs to get back to a balanced budget,” Russell said. “What those programs are I cannot say at this point in time.”
Independent candidate Ethan Alcorn declined to directly answer questions from Maine Morning Star because he said they were “divisive.”
Russell and Alcorn are both running against Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, who said she “vehemently opposes” the proposed cuts, calling them heartless and harmful. She said they would disproportionately affect children, seniors and low-income families.
“Congress needs to pass a farm bill that strengthens—not weakens—our food assistance programs,” said Pingree, who serves on the House Appropriations subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies. “I will not support any version of the farm bill that puts Mainers at risk of going hungry.”
2nd Congressional District
Pingree’s fellow incumbent in the House of Representatives, U.S. Rep. Jared Golden, a Democrat, also does not support cuts to SNAP, according to his campaign.
Though his Republican opponent did not respond to the question, Theriault emphasized the need to scale back federal spending during a series of debates earlier this month.
Unenrolled, declared CD2 write-in candidate Diana Merenda said she would never support a $30 billion cut to SNAP benefits. She added that it is “sickening” to contemplate that sort of cut with the U.S. sending billions of dollars in military aid to Israel.
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