How does the 2008 Farm Bill affect domestic hunger programs?
• The Farm Bill allocates $10.364 billion for nutrition programs in the United States. • This includes an additional $7.8 billion for the food stamp program. The food stamp program is the largest single program in the Farm Bill. The food stamp program has been in operation since 1939, providing access to food for low income families. The USDA estimates that the food stamp program provides benefits to approximately 26 million people in the United States each month. • The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) received an additional $1.6 billion in funding. TEFAP provides food to state distributing agencies such as food banks who then distribute the food to local agencies such as soup kitchens or local food banks. TEFAP first began in 1981 to distribute food commodities to local households in need of emergency food assistance. • The 2008 Farm Bill also expanded the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to receive an additional $9.9 mi
