I’m writing to urge your support in reinstating the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Economic Research Service (ERS) Household Food Security report. This longstanding report has been the nation’s most reliable tool for understanding how many American families struggle to keep food on the table and how well federal nutrition programs are working.
For more than three decades, the ERS report has provided policymakers with objective, nonpartisan data essential for sound decision-making. By measuring food insecurity consistently year after year, the report allows Congress and USDA to evaluate whether taxpayer-funded nutrition programs such as SNAP, WIC, and school meals are delivering results, identify where gaps exist and ensure resources are used efficiently, and track progress and measure the impact of policy changes over time.
Eliminating this report removes a critical accountability measure. Without it, policymakers will be left without clear evidence of whether nutrition programs are effective, where improvements are needed, or whether dollars are being spent wisely.
The most recent data revealed that one in seven households, 47.4 million Americans, including 13.8 million children, faced food insecurity. This reality has significant consequences for our economy, workforce readiness, and the strength of our communities. We also know that food insecurity responds to policy intervention: rates dropped to historic lows in 2021 when families received temporary support, but rose again after those supports expired and inflation increased. This kind of data demonstrates what works and what does not.
The ERS report is not about expanding programs; it is about ensuring accountability, transparency, and responsible governance. It ensures that Congress has the best available information available to make decisions affecting millions of families and to maintain public confidence in USDA’s stewardship of nutrition programs.
I respectfully urge you to support efforts calling on USDA to reinstate the ERS Household Food Security report. Ensuring access to accurate, consistent data is a matter of good government and fiscal responsibility, and it will help strengthen families, communities, and the nation as a whole. Thanks.
First sent on September 26 by Jess Craven
