Senate Agrees to Move Farm Bill and Help Hungry Americans

The following statement is attributable to Vicki Escarra, President & CEO of America's Second Harvest:

"After a month of political gridlock, the Senate came to an agreement late yesterday to move the Farm Bill forward and debate 40 amendments. This critical step forward in securing a strong nutrition title in the Farm Bill for hungry Americans will help bring much needed food relief to the nation's charitable, emergency food distribution network.

"With more than 35 million Americans living on the brink of hunger, America's Second Harvest food banks continue to struggle with dramatic declines in support from federal food aid programs and increasing demands for emergency food assistance. Passage of a strong nutrition title in the Farm Bill will strengthen federal nutrition programs, including the Food Stamp Program and the Emergency Food Assistance Program, that are the first line of defense for hungry Americans and help food banks begin replenishing their scarce inventories.

"I commend the Senate leadership for working to reach this important compromise, and I urge them to move forward in passing a Farm Bill as soon as possible."

America's Second Harvest -- The Nation's Food Bank Network is the largest charitable domestic hunger-relief organization in the United States. Through its network of more than 200 member food banks, America's Second Harvest annually provides assistance to more than 25 million people in need, including more than 9 million children and nearly 3 million seniors in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Each year, America's Second Harvest secures and distributes more than 2 billion pounds of donated food and grocery products to support feeding programs at approximately 50,000 local charitable agencies, including food pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, after-school programs, and Kids Cafes. To learn more, please visit http://www.secondharvest.org.