Trump’s costly food-aid plan could collapse SNAP
Like many Americans, in recent years I’ve learned to avoid conversations on political matters. However, a controversial proposal this week by the Trump administration has moved me to speak out.
A component of the administration’s new budget, the proposal calls for slashing the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known formerly as food stamps. Under the current SNAP program, recipients qualify based on federal poverty-level guidelines. Once approved, they receive a debit card with a monthly allowance to purchase specific categories of food items from the grocery store of their choice. The proposal would cut the funding loaded on SNAP cards by up to 50 percent. That cut in benefits would then be replaced by the newly designed USDA harvest box of preselected processed foods shipped directly to the recipient’s front door.
The plan is another example of the administration’s disconnect with everyday Americans and an all-out assault on America’s working poor, seniors and children in need. The plan is not only harmful to those in need of help, but the harvest-box component would lead to a collapse of SNAP from increased costs.
Although the administration argues that this plan would only reduce the SNAP budget, a further look proves the plan is shortsighted. One item included in the USDA’s harvest box is processed canned meats, which are full of chemicals, high sodium and high in fat. Other items include processed juices loaded with sugar, powdered milk and processed pasta. The initial release of the plan claims that the box is healthy, but any nutritionist would immediately disagree.
Processed foods and those loaded with sodium or sugar are cited as causes of today’s publichealth crisis. The administration is further attacking the health of American families by pushing unhealthy food on those who have no other option. That includes people like my own mom, a senior who lives on Social Security and SNAP benefits. She struggles with high blood pressure and would not be able to eat the items proposed.
In Florida, nearly 4 million people rely on SNAP benefits. Many would argue the SNAP program is in need of a boost and that this is not the time to make cuts. The average beneficiary currently receives around $152 per month through the program.
Who is receiving the benefits? The simple answer is those who should be. In Florida over 82 percent of SNAP benefit dollars are distributed to families with children meeting the poverty-level requirement, seniors in need, or those living with disabilities. Under the administration’s plan, households receiving over $90 per month of SNAP would lose half their benefits. That reduction would be replaced by the USDA’s harvest boxes. That means people like my mom who worked their entire lives for the American Dream would be told they can’t make their own choices about what foods they can eat. President Trump’s team believes they should be deciding for her.
Let’s forget for a moment the terrible health issues associated with the new plan or the demoralizing effect of telling hard-working Americans what foods they can eat. Now let’s focus on the collapse of the SNAP program that would happen because the math just doesn’t work.
Imagine trying to feed 4 million Floridians on SNAP each month. Under the plan, food processors from around the country would need to ship items to new warehouses that the state would need to staff and fund. Warehouses would be required to process and separate food items into smaller quantities so that the allotted assortment can be added to an individual box. Sounds easy so far, right? Once the items are repackaged into harvest boxes, they would be delivered to 4 million recipients. The administration assured us that this would be a one-for-one replacement, so let’s take it at its word.
That means the average household would need 36 pounds of food to replace the SNAP funding cut. Ever ship 36 pounds of canned goods in a box? A quick search on the U.S. Postal Service website puts the cost at $69.84 to ship one 36-pound box of food across Orlando. Of course, that doesn’t include the cost of materials, the food itself, the cost of the new warehouses the state would need, or the massive staffing requirements to administer the program.
By my simple calculation, after the shipping cost, that leaves $6.16 to buy 36 pounds of food and cover warehousing costs and packaging. Although the administration would get discounts for buying bulk, it’s glaringly obvious that adding warehousing and shipping costs would ultimately cause massive budget overruns.
Recognizing the negative impact that this proposal would have, one thing has become clear to me: We all now share the responsibility to speak up over the injustices that we see. Trump’s plan is an all-out assault on American families in need, and it’s time for those of us on the sidelines to stand up and let our voices be heard.