WASHINGTON- The Environmental Working Group joins other food, poverty and hunger groups calling for an increase in food stamp benefits. EWG’s Director of Government Affairs, Sandra Schubert, issued the following statement:
“While the government continues to give millionaires wasteful farm subsidy money, there is little in place to help poor people buy food,” said Schubert. “ The adjustment of benefits lags often over a year behind real food price increases, while poor people are being asked to pick up the tab,” Schubert added.
According to USDA, the cost of the minimum nutritionally adequate diet for a family of four has increased more than 8%, while food stamp benefits remain level and insufficient. USDA's data shows that overall food costs will increase on average from 4-5% in 2009.
“With food-stamp enrollment at record levels, government spending priorities must shift from subsiding the wealthy to helping out those in need,” concluded Schubert.
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The EWG is a nonprofit research organization based in Washington, DC that uses the power of information to protect human health and the environment. The group’s farm subsidy database can be found at http://www.mulchblog.com
