Sophie, together with the Montana Food Bank Network, FAST Blackfeet and Missoula Food Bank, joined hundreds of food security advocates from across the country to advocate for SNAP and other food assistance programs in Washington D.C. last week.
The week started at the National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference, which convened over 900 advocates, policymakers, and community leaders to address pressing issues in food security and federal nutrition programs. Organized by the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) in collaboration with the National CACFP Forum, the event featured more than 50 sessions covering topics such as SNAP, school meals, and strategies to combat hunger, including discussions on proposed federal budget cuts that could impact these programs.
The conference culminated in an Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill, where we attended a SNAP Matters rally and met with Montana representatives to advocate for the protection and strengthening of vital nutrition assistance programs.
Sophie and our partners were able to meet with Senator Steve Daines, Senator Tim Sheehy, Congressman Ryan Zinke and Congressman Troy Downing and their respective staffers and had great conversations about the importance of a strong Farm Bill and food access programs in our communities. We know that our representatives care about the health and wellbeing of Montanans and asked them to support a strong bipartisan Farm Bill that includes strong investments in agriculture and nutrition programs like SNAP and TEFAP during reconciliation.
We discussed why SNAP is one of the most effective, fiscally responsible tools to meet the basic needs of our neighbors and support local economies. SNAP supports more than 80,000 Montanans. In 2024, SNAP brought over $169 million to local retailers, farmers, and grocers. Any cuts to SNAP would mean less food on the table of our neighbors. That's why we asked for no cuts to SNAP benefits or eligibility, and no cost shifts to the states.
In addition, we talked about the recent cuts to The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) and the Local Food Purchasing Assistance (LFPA) funds and emphasized the importance of those programs to the operations of our Montana food pantries.
We are grateful to all community members and farmers for sharing their personal stories and feel grateful for being able to represent our Northwest Montana communities on Capitol Hill. We are working actively on following up with our representatives after the House Agriculture Committee's Passage of Its Budget Reconciliation Bill that includes devastating cuts to the SNAP program. Learn more about the bill and how to take action in this analysis from FRAC.
