Welcome to the Food Policy Debrief, where we shed much-needed light on how corporations and organizations can engage with progressive food policy. Join us once a month as we provide news updates, demystify policy, and provide opportunities for advocacy!

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TL;DR

Minimum wage increases are in (according to California), cultivated meat is out (according to Nebraska)
A new bill would increase college student SNAP eligibility (slay)
Too Good to Go helped create a federally recognized day for food loss and waste prevention
The Food Policy Debrief team asked 50 food, farm, and public health leaders what issues they felt were most at stake in the 2024 election cycle
BONUS: An intersectional reflection on the food system, in honor of National Coming Out Day and Hispanic Heritage Month

This Month’s Standout Food Stories

Bills We’re Tracking 👀

🚜 Supporting Innovation in Agriculture Act: This new bipartisan bill (H.R.9263) that would create an investment tax credit to accelerate the deployment of innovative farming technologies for specialty crop growers, including controlled environment agriculture and precision agriculture technologies.

🎓The Student Food Security Act: Another new bill (H.R.9521) that supports college students facing expanding eligibility for SNAP, allowing students to use SNAP benefits at on-campus dining facilities, and more.

Psst…. Last edition we called out the Opportunity to Address College Hunger Act, which also works to improve college students' ability to use SNAP. Now we’re doing a deep dive into which of these policies has the biggest opportunity for impact. More to come soon, but if you’re looking into college food security bills and want to partner, please reach out!

🥕 Farm Bill: The deadline to extend the 2023 Farm Bill has officially passed, meaning a 2024 Farm Bill has to wait until lame duck. Though recently, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said he doubts the House will pass a Farm Bill, saying, “they just don’t have the votes.”

🥫AB 660: California just became the first state to ban “sell by” dates on packaged foods and require the use of standardized food date labeling terms. Shoutout to our friends at the Zero Food Waste Coalition for their advocacy on this!

**How You Can Progress Food Policy This Month**

Use this tool to urge your Senators to co-sponsor important child nutrition bills (it takes under 2 minutes) that will strengthen school nutrition programs. P.S. This call to action follows the Food Research and Action Center’s (FRAC) Interim President testifying at a hearing held by the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Food and Nutrition, where she emphasized the critical role these programs play in supporting student nutrition, health, and learning.
The Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation, an organization dedicated to ending childhood hunger through programs and advocacy, recently opened the application for the Stephen J. Brady Stop Hunger Scholarship, providing $10,000 scholarships to students ages 5-25 who are fighting hunger in their communities and $5,000 awards to the anti-hunger charity of their choice. Applications are due November 5th, 2024.

Social Impact Spotlight

Shedding light on companies leading by example and engaging in food policy in a meaningful way

Too Good to Go, the innovative company making food recovery easy (and cool) for consumers, successfully led a campaign to recognize September 29th as the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste in the U.S. As of October 1, a resolution has officially been introduced by Reps. Lawler, Pingree, Chavez-DeRemer, and Fitzpatrick! (P.S. a resolution ≠ a bill. A bill becomes a law; whereas, a resolution expresses a "sentiment" of either the House or Senate. You can learn more about this here.)

Why it matters: Despite being a crucial global platform to highlight the urgent need to reduce food loss and waste, International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste was not officially recognized by the U.S. Government. Now with a designated day focused solely on this work, we can continue to build momentum and focus additional efforts on meeting the national goal of reducing food loss and waste by 50% by 2030.

What Food Issues are Most at Stake in the 2024 Election?

This month, the Food Policy Debrief team asked 50 food, farm, and public health leaders what issues they felt were most at stake in the 2024 election cycle (since everyone is just overflowing with time and bandwidth at the moment!) This powerhouse group of people included advocates from anti-hunger and farm groups, corporations, academics, reporters, and individuals from all across the country, including swing states.

At the forefront of everyone’s comments was this: The sheer amount of people in the U.S. facing food insecurity is unacceptable. In this election, votes will determine the nation’s ability to support individuals and families who do not have access to affordable, nutritious food. Also at stake: farmers’ and restaurants livelihoods, the economic impact of climate change, and more.

Let’s get into it.

(Actually, before we get into it, it’s worth saying that no matter which food-related issue is most important to you, it’s an awesome privilege and civic duty to cast your ballot this November. Check out vote.gov to check your voter registration, find your polling place or mail-in/absentee ballot information, and more! Ok, now let's get into it.)

“With over 47 million Americans facing food insecurity every day, hunger in America is a critical issue — particularly since we know that federal safety net programs like SNAP, WIC, and the Child Tax Credit are effective tools to fight hunger and poverty. During the height of the pandemic, our policymakers saved lives and livelihoods by expanding access to these programs, reducing child hunger by half. But policymakers allowed the additional benefits to expire last year, and we are seeing hunger rates skyrocket again. Our political leaders are offering competing proposals to address poverty and hunger in America. We must ask ourselves: Do we continue to stigmatize the hungry, force onerous restrictions upon them, and make them jump through bureaucratic hoops in order to get help from their government? Or do we support and protect them from the pain and indignity of hunger, as they endeavor to regain their economic security?”

—Abby J. Leibman, President & CEO, MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger

"As Americans, we value freedom—freedom to live healthy and pursue happiness. Yet how can we truly be free if millions are trapped in a food apartheid, without access to affordable, nutritious, and culturally meaningful food? The right to food should be as fundamental as any other freedom in this country. It's not just about filling plates; but ensuring that every American has the freedom to choose healthy food that nourishes their body and spirit. Nutrition security is national security, and in a country that prides itself on opportunity, we must make sure that everyone has the freedom to thrive—starting with food. This election is our chance to stand for that freedom."

— Tambra Raye Stevenson, Founder & CEO, Women Advancing Nutrition Dietetics and Agriculture

“Speaking as the Chief Government Affairs Officer at the Food Research & Action Center, a priority in the 2024 election would be ensuring that ending hunger is a top priority and that individuals and families are given the resources and opportunities they need to be lifted out of poverty and hunger. This would entail drilling down on the root causes of hunger and poverty – including systemic racism, classism, and discrimination - and address these in a holistic manner.”

— Ellen Teller (in a personal capacity), Maryland Resident and Anti-Hunger Advocate

“Independent restaurants are feeling the economic impact of climate change like never before. Rising temperatures, floods, and extreme weather like fire and drought are causing price spikes, ingredient shortages, and operational challenges that threaten the economic stability of both farmers and restaurants. We need conservation programs to help farmers implement practices that mitigate climate change, increase yields, and provide sustainable ingredients for restaurants. ”

— Anne E. McBride, Vice President of Programs, James Beard Foundation

BTW, if you’re in the food system and have thoughts on what’s at stake in the 2024 election, we’d still love to hear from you. Submit your takes here!

BONUS: Intersectional Perspectives on the Food System from USDA

This month is both the last half of National Hispanic Heritage Month and LGBTQ+ History month (and National Coming Out Day is Friday, October 11th), so we asked Alberto Gonzalez, Jr., Chief Policy Advisor at USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service, to share some perspectives about his intersectional identity and work in government at USDA:

“Living at the intersections of the LGBTQ+ and Hispanic/Latino communities has allowed me to apply an equity lens rooted in my lived experience to all that I do at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Serving as Chief Policy Advisor for the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is a full-circle moment for me. As a first-generation Mexican American who grew up in a working-class family, food and nutrition programs were critical to helping me grow and thrive. School meals helped ensure I had the nutrition I needed to succeed in the classroom. Summer meals helped ensure I still had food to eat when school was out. And WIC was a vital foundation for my family members when they needed it most.

In addition, as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I know firsthand how challenging it can be to “come out” when you feel like you are out of place, and how important it is to be seen, valued, and respected for who you are. I’m deeply honored to work for an administration that is advancing equity for LGBTQ+ and Hispanic/Latino people and while promoting inclusivity among federal employees, community-led partners, and the millions of people our federal programs reach each and every day.

In reflecting on the significance of Hispanic Heritage Month and National Coming Out Day, I’m grateful to work alongside a team of public servants dedicated to ensuring every eligible individual, including Hispanic/Latino and LGBTQ+ people, can access healthy and nutritious foods regardless of who they are or where they are from. This includes the USDA’s efforts to promote program awareness, education, and access among eligible immigrants (many of whom identify as Hispanic/Latino), who can apply for programs like SNAP without fear of immigration consequences. This is also reflected in the USDA’s efforts to combat discrimination to ensure no one, including LGBTQ+ individuals, is denied access to nutritious food because of who they are or how they identify.

USDA’s ongoing work to build meaningful relationships with food and nutrition partners, along with Hispanic/Latino and LGBTQ+-serving organizations, remains critical. As we also celebrate National School Lunch Week and Farm to School Month this October, I invite you all to be trusted messengers for those in your community. Visit fns.usda.gov to learn more about our powerful programs, the historic investments this administration has made in local food systems and nutrition assistance, and the role you can play in helping all those eligible for support have the tools and information they need to enroll.”