Approximately 70% of the USDA’s budget currently goes to the Food and Nutrition Service program, of which, the main component is food stamps. Over 40 million low income and homeless are fed each month through the USDA. Yet still it is estimated that 24 million children go to bed hungry every night in America….in the year 2023!!! That’s like the entire population of the state of Florida going to bed hungry every night!!
We could, and should, continue to feed the poor and homeless, but again, it is dealing with a symptom of the root societal problems of education and lack of economic opportunities. The budget for the USDA should most definitely be increased so that it can more properly do its jobs of nationwide food safety, helping farmers and ag companies, and feeding the poor, but at the same time we need to focus on trying to fix the root problems behind the poor issue. Remember, we have a choice. We can either feed someone a fish for a day, or we can teach them how to fish. For now it is critical we continue feeding them the fish, but we need to simultaneously be teaching them how to fish as well.
Perry Waag 