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Iowa advocates for the hungry decry feds ending annual survey
The leaders of Iowa’s largest food bank are incensed at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s decision to end a longstanding national hunger survey. Agency officials called the survey “redundant, costly, politicized, and extraneous.”
Annette Hacker, spokeswoman for the Food Bank of Iowa, says it’s unconscionable that the USDA would eliminate this important gauge of a countrywide crisis.
“We’re devastated to learn that this annual survey that’s been a trusted report on food security in America for the last 30 years is ending,” Hacker says. “It sends the message that fighting hunger and tracking hunger in the United States is suddenly not a priority.”
The final household food security report will be released on October 22nd. Earlier this year, the group Feeding America reported 12% of Iowans and nearly 17% of Iowa children faced food insecurity, a situation that has increased in every one of the state’s 99 counties.
“Just because they stopped counting people — the 47-million people across the country facing hunger — does not mean that they don’t count anymore,” Hacker says. “It’s one more blow to people who are already struggling, and it will make our work harder.”
What’s known as the Household Food Security Report offers a yearly snapshot on the lack of access to nutrition for low-income Americans, while acting as a guide to shape policy on how best to fight food insecurity.
The Food Bank of Iowa served two-point-four million people at its partner pantries in the past fiscal year, an 11% increase over the previous fiscal year.
“Fortunately, Feeding America does its annual Map the Meal Gap survey, which does help us track to some extent hunger across the country and the impact of our work,” Hacker says, “but the signal that USDA and the administration is sending that tracking and monitoring hunger is no longer a priority is really very troubling.”
The Food Bank of Iowa provides food assistance by partnering with 700 agencies across 55 counties in Iowa to distribute food and meals to those in need, including families, children, seniors, and veterans.
(Reporting by Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City)
