Food insecurity falls under the purview of public health. In fact, it is a tremendous implication of public health, as increased food insecurity, even marginally from baseline, is significantly associated with amplified premature mortality (from all causes), and an increase in shorter life expectancy (Ma et al., 2024).
A quick Google search will tell you that the United States is the richest country in the world with its high GDP per capita (though its distribution may be a discussion for another day). So, how is it, one may ponder, that 1 in 8 households living in the wealthiest nation on the planet are experiencing food insecurity (Mah et al., 2022).
The short answer is: money.
In the United States, food is a $2 TRILLION industry. This encompasses the collective contributions of all sectors surrounding food, including its production (raising crops/animals, fertilizer, seeds, animal care, machinery needed to sow, harvest, raise, slaughter, transport, distribute, labor costs, etc.), to its retail which includes entities that sell groceries and food service (restaurants, school/hospital/prison meals) (Nestle, 2024).
Nestle goes on to profess that the food industry, just as any other, has stakeholders whose desire is to sell their product(s) for the highest price the market will bear, while simultaneously increasing profits year-after-year to appease investors (2024).
Where does this leave the poor, impoverished, and marginalized citizens?
Hungry.
Policy, as it relates to food insecurity, is rather precarious and uncertain. This is namely because it is so intertwined with politics and political power. Research has shown that after a decade of improvement in regard to food security (2005-2015), there is now an uptrend in food insecurity, for a myriad of reasons, including political interference (Smyth et al., 2021). However, historically, government intervention has not always been a negative occurrence.
Back in 1939, after nearly a decade of hunger following the Great Depression, the first U.S. food stamp program was enacted as part of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal. It showed success, though was highly abused (because: humans), and was eventually terminated due to the cataclysm that was World War II (Rabb, 2023).
Smyth (2020), has asserted that the entire framework principal to food security has been appropriated by political motivation. This is evidenced as decades after the first U.S. food stamp program was trialed, during his presidential campaign, former president John F. Kennedy vowed to enact a permanent food stamp program if elected to office. Unfortunately, Kennedy was assassinated before he could make good on his promise (National Archives, 2025), but his successor, Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Food Stamp Act into law in 1964, under the umbrella of his “War on Poverty” (Committee on Examination of the Adequacy of Food Resources and SNAP Allotments et al., 2013).
However, not all political motivations are quite as altruistic. As previously mentioned, the food industry in the United States generates a huge amount of money. Trillions. Of. Dollars. As such, nearly anyone who had the means would want a piece of that pie. In 2024, agribusiness paid congressional lobbyists nearly $183 million, and its political campaign contributions to the top five recipients totaled in excess of $16 million, with nearly 64% donated to Republican campaigns, and 45% to Donald Trump (OpenSecrets, 2024).
What is the relevance of this?
Well, money buys power, and power, by extension, is policy.
For example, in 2020, while the country, and the world, were in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, local legislative orders called for the temporary shuttering of businesses, including meat processing plants. However, there is evidence that an executive order signed by President Trump was penned strongly following a draft provided by the North American Meat Institute, thus showing a willingness to place profits above the health, well-being, and lives of the people who work in those meat processing facilities (Grabell & Yeung, 2020).
In the wake of the Big Beautiful Bill cutting SNAP funding by about 30% (One Big Beautiful Bill, 2025), what kind of legislative action can be taken?
It would seem that as long as this administration, and those who adopt its visions, are in power, then regulations to fill the gaps in food security will have to come from the state and local levels.
State government legislatures will need to reformulate their budgets and consider raising taxes on large corporations and/or increasing the top marginal rate. They will need to be diligent in training their employees to keep the error rate low regarding SNAP transactions, as they will lose money in penalty fees for excessive errors (Martichoux, 2025). Partnering with food banks and food pantries will need to become a priority.
Unfortunately, policy advocates will be challenged with the monumental obstacle of: Not enough money, not enough compassion, and too many people in need.
Still, in the face of bleakness, I am able to find hope, and seek comfort in the words of a parable that my mother used to tell me: This, too, shall pass away.
References
Caswell, J. A., & Yaktine, A. L. (2013). Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Examining the evidence to define benefit adequacy. National Academies Press.
Grabell, M., & Yeung, B. Emails show the meatpacking industry drafted an executive order to keep plants open. ProPublica. https://www.propublica.org/article/emails-show-the-meatpacking-industry-drafted-an-executive-order-to-keep-plants-open
Ma, H., Wang, X., Li, X., Heianza, Y., Katzmarzyk, P. T., Franco, O. H., & Qi, L. (2024). Food insecurity and premature mortality and life expectancy in the US. JAMA Internal Medicine, 184(3), 301-310. https://doi.org/qt5j
Mah, C. L., Knox, B., Lynch, M., & McIntyre, L. (2020). Who is food insecure? Political storytelling on hunger, household food choices, and the construction of archetypal populations. Journal of Hunger and Environmental Nutrition, 17(1), 108-125. https://doi.org/qt5k
Marticoux, A. (2025, October 19). SNAP benefits will soon be tied to error rates. These states are in the biggest trouble. The Hill. https://thehill.com/homenews/5559356-snap-benefits-will-soon-be-tied-to-error-rates-these-states-are-in-the-biggest-trouble/
National Archives. (2025, February 28). JFK Assassination Records: Warren Commission – Introduction. https://www.archives.gov/research/jfk/warren-commission-report/intro
Nestle, M. (2024, July 17). Food politics and policy. In Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Food Studies. https://oxfordre.com/foodstudies/display/10.1093/acrefore/9780197762530.001.0001/acrefore-9780197762530-e-19#acrefore-9780197762530-e-19-note-16
One Big Beautiful Bill Act, H.R. 1, 119th Cong. (2025). https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1
OpenSecrets. (2024). Agribusiness sector summary. https://www.opensecrets.org/industries/indus?ind=A
Rabb, G. P. (2023). First U.S. food stamp program begins. In EBSCO Knowledge Advantage. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/agriculture-and-agribusiness/first-us-food-stamp-program-begins
Smyth, S. J. (2020). Regulatory barriers to improving global food security. Global Food Security, 26, Article 100440. https://doi.org/gk69c7
Smyth, S. J., McHughen, A., Entine, J., Kershen, D., Ramage, C., & Parrott, W. (2021). Removing politics from innovations that improve food security. Transgenic Research, 30, 601-612. https://doi.org/qt5m
Marlo, your post demonstrates how food insecurity is not just an individual issue but a significant public health problem driven by political and economic forces. Recent research supports your point that food insecurity is closely linked to poorer health outcomes, including higher rates of chronic disease and psychological distress, especially in low-income households (Levy and Perez Velazco, 2026). I also appreciated how you highlighted the contradiction between the United States’ wealth and its rising food insecurity rates. Evidence shows that increasing food prices directly raise the chances that families will struggle to afford proper nutrition, even with federal aid. A nationwide study found that higher local food prices significantly raise the risk of food insecurity among low-income households, including those on SNAP, reinforcing your point that economic pressures can overwhelm existing safety nets (Gregory and Coleman Jensen, 2013). Reading your post helped me better understand this issue, and I genuinely learned something new about how deeply political and economic systems influence food access.
Your discussion of SNAP cuts and political influence also aligns with emerging evidence showing that changes to benefit levels have measurable effects on food security and health. A recent natural experiment evaluating the 2021 Thrifty Food Plan update found that although SNAP benefits increased by twenty-one percent, rising food prices and inflation offset much of the intended impact, leaving many households still struggling to meet basic needs (Leung and Wolfson, 2023). This mirrors your point that policy decisions, especially those influenced by powerful economic interests, can either buffer or worsen hardship for millions of families. Your post highlights the complex interaction among politics, economics, and human needs, underscoring why food insecurity remains such a persistent challenge. Despite the bleak outlook, your closing reflection on hope feels grounding and reminds me that meaningful change is still possible, especially through state and local policy action.
References:
Gregory, C. A., & Coleman‐Jensen, A. (2013). Do high food prices increase food insecurity in the United States? Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, 35(4), 679–707. https://doi.org/10.1093/aepp/ppt024
Leung, C. W., & Wolfson, J. A. (2023). The impact of the 2021 thrifty food plan benefit re-evaluation on SNAP participants’ short-term food security and health outcomes. Frontiers in Public Health, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1142577
Levy, L. C., & Perez-Velazco, X. (2026). Impacts of nutrition policy on food insecurity and individual health in the United States: A narrative review. The Journal of Nutrition, 156(1), 101233. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjnut.2025.10.043
Marlo, your post demonstrates how food insecurity is not just an individual issue but a significant public health problem driven by political and economic forces. Recent research supports your point that food insecurity is closely linked to poorer health outcomes, including higher rates of chronic disease and psychological distress, especially in low-income households (Levy and Perez Velazco, 2026). I also appreciated how you highlighted the contradiction between the United States’ wealth and its rising food insecurity rates. Evidence shows that increasing food prices directly raise the chances that families will struggle to afford proper nutrition, even with federal aid. A nationwide study found that higher local food prices significantly raise the risk of food insecurity among low-income households, including those on SNAP, reinforcing your point that economic pressures can overwhelm existing safety nets (Gregory and Coleman Jensen, 2013). Reading your post helped me better understand this issue, and I genuinely learned something new about how deeply political and economic systems influence food access.
Your discussion of SNAP cuts and political influence also aligns with emerging evidence showing that changes to benefit levels have measurable effects on food security and health. A recent natural experiment evaluating the 2021 Thrifty Food Plan update found that although SNAP benefits increased by twenty-one percent, rising food prices and inflation offset much of the intended impact, leaving many households still struggling to meet basic needs (Leung and Wolfson, 2023). This mirrors your point that policy decisions, especially those influenced by powerful economic interests, can either buffer or worsen hardship for millions of families. Your post highlights the complex interaction among politics, economics, and human needs, underscoring why food insecurity remains such a persistent challenge. Despite the bleak outlook, your closing reflection on hope feels grounding and reminds me that meaningful change is still possible, especially through state and local policy action.
References:
Gregory, C. A., & Coleman‐Jensen, A. (2013). Do high food prices increase food insecurity in the United States? Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, 35(4), 679–707. https://doi.org/10.1093/aepp/ppt024
Leung, C. W., & Wolfson, J. A. (2023). The impact of the 2021 thrifty food plan benefit re-evaluation on SNAP participants’ short-term food security and health outcomes. Frontiers in Public Health, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1142577
Levy, L. C., & Perez-Velazco, X. (2026). Impacts of nutrition policy on food insecurity and individual health in the United States: A narrative review. The Journal of Nutrition, 156(1), 101233. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjnut.2025.10.043
Thank you for this description of some of the policies in place related to food security, and specifically SNAP. What is the specific department that oversees SNAP, and what are the specific Congressional committees with oversight of the SNAP program operation and funding? In order to amend policies related to food insecurity at the federal level, what are the specific statutory and regulatory mechanisms that would need to be engaged?