June 4th Fighting for Pennsylvania Farmers: Governor Shapiro Files Lawsuit Against USDA’s Unlawful Termination of Local Food Purchasing Assistance Program The USDA abruptly and unlawfully canceled Pennsylvania’s agreement under the Local Food Purchasing Assistance Program – cutting $13 million in federal funding over the next three years that would have supported 189 Pennsylvania farms and 14 food banks. The Shapiro Administration is taking formal legal action against the USDA’s unlawful decision to terminate this critical funding. The USDA ignored the Shapiro Administration’s repeated efforts to appeal the agreement’s termination – leaving Governor Shapiro and Secretary Redding with no other choice but to file a lawsuit. Keep Reading Fighting for Pennsylvania Farmers: Governor Shapiro Files Lawsuit Against USDA’s Unlawful Termination of Local Food Purchasing Assistance Program
June 2nd Shapiro Administration Highlights Vital Role SNAP Plays in Supporting Our Economy, Fighting Hunger as Congressional Republicans Propose Cuts to Food Assistance for 140,000 Pennsylvanians Today, Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh and Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding joined leadership from Feeding Pennsylvania and the Westmoreland Food Bank to discuss the importance of the Supplemental Nutrition Access Program (SNAP) amid federal proposals that would take food assistance away from thousands of Pennsylvanians and significantly alter the program, costing the state over $1 billion more annually. Keep Reading Shapiro Administration Highlights Vital Role SNAP Plays in Supporting Our Economy, Fighting Hunger as Congressional Republicans Propose Cuts to Food Assistance for 140,000 Pennsylvanians
June 4th Pashinski bill incentivizing healthy eating and stretching SNAP dollars passes Pa. House State Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, D-Luzerne, today celebrated the passage of his legislation establishing a statewide program to provide benefit incentives – called Food Bucks – to SNAP recipients purchasing qualifying fruits and vegetables. Keep Reading Pashinski bill incentivizing healthy eating and stretching SNAP dollars passes Pa. House
June 17th Shapiro Administration Highlights Vital Role SNAP Plays in Supporting Our Economy, Fighting Hunger as Congressional Republicans Propose Cuts to Food Assistance for 140,000 Pennsylvanians Today, Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh and Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding joined leadership from Feeding Pennsylvania and the Central PA Food Bank to discuss the importance of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) amid federal proposals that would take food assistance away from at least 140,000 Pennsylvanians and significantly alter the program, costing the state over $1 billion more annually and jeopardizing the program’s sustainability. Governor Josh Shapiro has made clear that Pennsylvania cannot backfill these costs. Keep Reading Shapiro Administration Highlights Vital Role SNAP Plays in Supporting Our Economy, Fighting Hunger as Congressional Republicans Propose Cuts to Food Assistance for 140,000 Pennsylvanians
May 19th PA Faces Hunger Crisis Amid Proposals to Drastically Limit SNAP Feeding America report reveals growing food insecurity while federal lawmakers propose the largest rollback of food aid in U.S. history. Keep Reading PA Faces Hunger Crisis Amid Proposals to Drastically Limit SNAP
May 3rd Centre Daily Times Op-ed: Ensure America keeps investing in rural Pennsylvania Our small towns and rural communities are the backbone of Pennsylvania in many ways, but politicians in Washington are putting them at risk. Right now, Congress is considering deep cuts to programs like Medicaid and SNAP, vital lifelines that keep hospitals open and food on the table for thousands of families right here in Pennsylvania’s 15th Congressional District. Keep Reading Centre Daily Times Op-ed: Ensure America keeps investing in rural Pennsylvania
June 25th SNAP doesn’t just feed families — it sustains Pennsylvania’s farms and food economy When SNAP dollars are slashed, it’s not just low-income households that suffer, it’s also Pa.’s 48,800 family-run farms that feel the blow. A package of lean ground beef tastes the same whether you pay for it with cash, credit, or EBT card. Food retailers should know. They are the ones putting it out for sale each day for their customers. Out of the 40,000 different food items you might see in a larger supermarket, ground beef is one of the most commonly purchased by both SNAP and non-SNAP households. It’s up there with a gallon of milk, a loaf of bread, and poultry. The biggest difference between a SNAP household and a non-SNAP household? An EBT card, and some tough times. Not what they buy. Keep Reading SNAP doesn’t just feed families — it sustains Pennsylvania’s farms and food economy
June 11th Westmoreland County: Local Grocer and Food Bank Urge Congress to Protect SNAP Whether it’s from the grocery store or a local food bank, all Pennsylvanians deserve to have food on their table. However, Congress is currently considering proposals for significant changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that would make it harder for kids, seniors, and individuals with disabilities in Westmoreland County to access the food they need to survive and thrive. Keep Reading Westmoreland County: Local Grocer and Food Bank Urge Congress to Protect SNAP
June 4th Pennsylvania food banks worry about SNAP cuts in federal government’s proposed budget bill Food banks fear that if the budget bill heading to the U.S. Senate gets passed, thousands of people in Pennsylvania will go hungry. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program helps nearly 2 million Pennsylvanians put food on the table. Keep Reading Pennsylvania food banks worry about SNAP cuts in federal government’s proposed budget bill