Hunger Is Growing — and Washington Must Act
The Farm Bill, SNAP, and the Fight to Feed America
“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink. Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” — Matthew 25:35, 40
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) — formerly known as Food Stamps — is one of America’s most effective tools against hunger. By expanding food-purchasing power for low-income families, SNAP reduces food insecurity, improves health outcomes, lowers healthcare costs, and helps households manage competing pressures like rent, medicine, and utilities. It is a lifeline for older adults, people with disabilities, veterans, and children — and a reliable source of economic activity for farmers, grocers, and local businesses.
Now, that lifeline is under threat.
The budget reconciliation law (H.R. 1) enacts the largest SNAP cuts in history — $187 billion — slashing the program in ways that will be felt in kitchens and communities across the country. Beginning in FY 2027, states must absorb 75% of SNAP administrative costs, up from 50% today. By FY 2028, they must pay a share of benefits for the first time, based on payment error rates. The law also expands punitive eligibility time limits and strips protections from veterans, older adults, families, and humanitarian-based noncitizens. These changes shatter SNAP’s longstanding federal-state partnership and leave states exposed to unpredictable, growing costs.
Key Policy Developments
The Senate Agriculture Committee has released a new Farm Bill discussion draft — but we argue that it falls short, failing to address the $187 billion in SNAP cuts enacted through H.R. 1 or resolve concerns about shifting benefit costs to states.
Meanwhile, Senate leaders are in early discussions about potential relief for states that may struggle to meet SNAP payment-error thresholds, which could trigger mandatory state cost-sharing as soon as 2027.
Pressure is growing on multiple fronts: Senate Agriculture Committee Democrats, governors, civil rights organizations, and anti-hunger advocates are all calling for the mitigation or full reversal of H.R. 1’s SNAP cuts.
Arizona is facing a crisis.
According to the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), Arizona has seen the steepest drop in SNAP participation in the nation since January 2025 — a staggering 54% decline in enrollment. When families lose nutrition assistance, the consequences ripple outward: food banks are overwhelmed, local economies weaken, and the health of entire communities deteriorates.
Every Arizonan deserves reliable access to nutritious food. As Congress shapes the future of SNAP, policymakers must act to protect and restore the program that keeps families stable, children fed, and communities resilient.
TAKE ACTION!!
Use the FRAC Action Network to urge your Senators to support legislation that invests in SNAP and reverses the harmful cuts in H.R. 1.
#Arizona #SNAP #EndHunger #FoodSecurity #HungerRelief #ArizonaFamilies #NutritionMatters #Advocacy
Information Sources: [FRAC Updat…e 26, 2026 | Outlook]; WHEAT – Your Arizona Based Anti Hunger Org
