Every day, parents make sacrifices to feed their children. College students find ways to balance groceries and textbooks. Seniors carefully stretch their meals to make them last.
Across our region, thousands of individuals and families navigate these challenges with strength and dignity. These are challenges no one should have to face alone. Strong families are the foundation of strong communities, but with grocery prices still straining household budgets, too many of our neighbors – including children, service members, veterans, seniors, and people with disabilities – struggle to access the basic nutrition they need.
Federal nutrition programs provide a critical lifeline:
- In Nevada, 1 in 6 people relies on SNAP to put food on the table.
- 62% of SNAP recipients are children, and 37% are older adults or individuals with disabilities.
- SNAP delivers 9 meals for every 1 meal a food bank can provide, making it a highly effective anti-hunger program.
- SNAP alone brings $95 million per month into Nevada’s economy, generating $1.80 in economic activity for every $1 spent.
These programs don’t just feed families. They strengthen communities, support local economies, and reduce long-term reliance on emergency assistance.
The Farm Bill: One of Our Nation’s Most Powerful Tools
The Farm Bill is one of the nation’s most powerful ways to protect families, support farmers, and strengthen communities. If Congress advances a farm bill this year, it must continue to support the agricultural economy and include robust investments in federal nutrition programs. These resources empower food banks to meet rising demand and ensure no one in our communities goes hungry. That includes increasing funding for food purchases through The Emergency Food Assistance Program and expanding access to food through improvements to the Commodity Supplemental Food Program for older adults and the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, which plays a critical role in supporting Native and Tribal communities.
This legislation does more than support agriculture – it shapes how food reaches those who need it most. Through programs like TEFAP, CSFP, FDPIR, and SNAP, the Farm Bill:
- Ensures American-grown food stays in local communities, reaching children, seniors, and Tribal populations.
- Expands access to nutrition programs for older adults and other vulnerable groups.
- Provides consistent support to families, enabling them to thrive and participate fully in their communities.
The recent budget reconciliation bill brought important gains for U.S. farmers and producers. Still, more work remains. The Farm Bill is a chance to make corrections that reduce the harm caused by cuts to federal nutrition programs under HR 1, strengthen the social safety net, and ensure families across our state and nation have reliable access to food.
Why Strengthening These Programs Matters
Programs like TEFAP, CSFP, FDPIR, and SNAP are smart solutions, not big government. They:
- Help children grow healthy and strong.
- Allow seniors to maintain their health and dignity without choosing between food and medicine.
- Support veterans, foster alumni, and people with disabilities to live independently.
- Stimulate local economies by providing predictable demand for stores, markets, and farmers.
By investing in these programs, we can reduce hunger, improve public health, and create stronger, more resilient communities.
Take Action
The Farm Bill is a chance to make a real difference for thousands of Nevadans. You can help:
- Contact Congress: Urge lawmakers to protect and strengthen SNAP, TEFAP, CSFP, and FDPIR in the upcoming Farm Bill.
- Spread Awareness: Share on social media using #SNAPMatters, #ProtectSNAP, #NVLeg.
- Stay Informed: Sign up for advocacy alerts to know when your voice is needed.
Together, we can protect Nevada families, strengthen the social safety net, and ensure that no one goes hungry.
