Farm, Food Groups Make Call for Food Support
National Farmers Union and Feeding America call on president-elect Obama to take action to ensure there's enough food available.
Compiled by staff
Published: Dec 26, 2008
Just before Christmas, the National Farmers Union and Feeding America sent joint lettes calling on President-elect Barack Obama and current Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer to take action to "ensure availability of a sufficient food supply for all Americans."
Worries over current economic conditions facing the country have the groups calling on the current administration to release food commodities and funding from the Commodity Credit Corporation and Section 32 immediately in order to provide relief for food assistance providers. The groups then called on Obama to continue these efforts and include emergency food assistance funding in any economic recovery package.
Feeding America reports that food banks have seen a 30% increase in demand over the past 12 months. The largest spike in demand occurred during the last quarter of 2008, coinciding with the Wall Street Meltdown.
Tom Buis, president, NFU, comments: "Food is not an optional commodity for anyone, regardless of income demographics. As a farmer from Indiana and a national farm leader, I find it appalling that anyone in America or the world goes to bed hungry." He notes that USDA is in a position to help alleviate the crisis occurring in many communities across the country.
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