US bishops, other Catholic leaders weigh in on Farm Bill, deplore possible cuts to SNAP
June 06, 2024
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CWN Editor's Note: Two bishops who chair committees of the US bishops’ conference, joined by the leaders of four Catholic organizations, weighed in on the 2024 Farm Bill, which they described as “an extremely important piece of legislation for the Catholic community.”
“We are deeply concerned about a provision in the House bill that rescinds recent updates to the Thrifty Food Plan,” they emphasized in a recent letter to congressional leaders. “We cannot support a Farm Bill that makes cuts to SNAP, including cuts to future benefit amounts, or that weakens the efficacy of or access to this vital program ... We are concerned about the large increase in commodity supports in the House bill at the expense of future SNAP benefits.”
“We will work with all stakeholders to build consensus for policy changes in the international food assistance programs that make them more effective, efficient, and able to reach more people,” they continued. “We are extremely concerned by the proposed changes to the Food for Peace Title II program.”
The bishops and other Catholic leaders also discussed conservation and rural development. “We are concerned that the House bill incorporates Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding for these programs while removing the IRA’s climate-smart requirements,” they wrote. “We are also concerned about proposed changes in the House bill regarding the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and the effect it will have on environmental and water quality issues.”
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