Posts Tagged: United States Department of Agriculture

Food stamp use continues to climb

Sara Murray of the Wall Street Journal reports that nearly 44.6 million Americans received food stamps in March — or roughly fifteen percent of the entire U.S. population. So even with other indicators — like the unemployment rate — suggesting a tepid economic recovery, more families and individuals have requested financial assistance in buying groceries. The states my blogging tends to focus on have followed these trends — Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan all have seen increases in food stamp use.

The abbreviated positive take is that more people who qualify for stamps are taking advantage of the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture-funded program. The negative take, of course, is that three years after Wall Street collapsed millions of Americans are still mired in poverty or near poverty.

Food fight! (in Illinois)

The Associated Press reports that the Illinois State Board of Education has distributed $1 million in federal grants among 57 school cafeterias across the state. The money comes from the Dept. of Agriculture’s National School Lunch Program — a program that has been around since the Truman administration, but looks primed to change. Congress introduced yesterday a bill that will give NSLP more money and make schools serve healthier food. (more…)