Iowa Action Alert! Petition to protect access to Double Up Food Bucks and SNAP benefits

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Proposed legislation affecting Double Up Food Bucks (DUFB) and access to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits among eligible Iowans is being reviewed right now at the State Capitol!

HF 613 and SF 494: an Act relating to public assistance program integrity, including SNAP benefits.

What this means for Iowans:

New language is being proposed within the Iowa SNAP program to implement a restriction on candy and non-sugar-free soda purchases. In other words, ‘eligible SNAP foods’ will not include candy and non-sugar-free soda. While most RD/RDNs may agree nutritionally with this…
…Over 60% of SNAP participants report that affordability of healthy foods is a barrier to achieving a healthy diet. Further, people with a reduced sense of taste due to aging or cancer may rely on sweet/salty treats to get pleasure from eating and prevent malnutrition.
…AND, in these proposed bills, the funding for a $1 million state of Iowa appropriation for Double Up Food Bucks is contingent upon the USDA granting Iowa a waiver to restrict SNAP purchases of soda and candy.
DUFB is a SNAP-incentive program that matches food assistance dollars 1:1 on purchases of fresh fruits and vegetables at 94 participating farmers markets and grocery stores.

In 2022, 61,734 food insecure Iowans used DUFB to access free fruits and vegetables.
Since its creation in 2016:

DUFB has seen over $4.3 million in fresh f/v redeemed.
$852,558 of that money has been redeemed at local farmers markets across Iowa.
325,684 Iowans have benefited!

Getting a waiver from USDA is very unlikely. Maine tried it in 2015 (under Obama administration) and 2018 (Trump administration) and both were denied.

Further concerns regarding HF 613 and SF 494 include (read more at IHC-Protect SNAP):

Institution of an asset test and additional eligibility verification. These changes add further barriers and paperwork to an already burdensome process for SNAP-eligible Iowans, and will likely result in removal of eligible Iowans from the program and discourage new applicants.

This is particularly concerning with the public health emergency Medicaid benefits ending in April, contributing to heightened financial stress among families…
AND, while SNAP enrollment is at a 14-year low, food banks and pantries across the state have been hitting all-time records.
SNAP has been shown to be highly effective in preventing food insecurity and is linked with improved health and lower healthcare costs. Negative nutritional and non-nutritional outcomes are associated with food insecurity across the lifespan, including substandard academic achievement, inadequate intake of key nutrients, increased risk for chronic disease, and poor psychological and cognitive functioning.

Action Requested:

Please add your electronic signature to the below petition to request Iowa legislators to:

1) Remove the contingency language that connects funding from the state of Iowa for Double Up Food Backs to USDA approval of the waiver to restrict SNAP purchases of soda and candy (highly unlikely) OR request the restrictions on soda/candy purchases be removed entirely.
2) Vote 'No' to the bill entirely due to its impact on SNAP-eligible Iowans being able to access benefits and the contribution to food/nutrition insecurity rates across the state.

Please select the option that best fits your description *

I am registered dietitian/registered dietitian nutritionist

I am a registered dietetic technician

I am a dietetics student

I am a dietetic intern

None of the above

Other:

Are you a member of the Iowa Academy? *

Yes

Who are your Iowa legislators? Search here: https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/find *

Please select the option that best describes your stance (Select all that apply): *

I support removal of the contingency language connecting Double Up Food Bucks funding to USDA approval of the soda/candy purchase restriction.

I support removal of the proposed restriction on soda/candy purchases with SNAP entirely.

I am against the bill entirely due to its impact on SNAP access and food/nutrition insecurity among Iowans.

I do not support the above statements.

Other:

Required

Provide an electronic signature here: *

If you do not support the above statements, please feel free to note your exceptions/reasons:

Any additional comments/concerns you wish to mention?

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