LANSING, Mich. (June 12, 2025) — As Washington Republicans’ sweeping and short-sighted budget bill currently makes its way through Congress, Michigan Senate Democrats held two committee hearings this week to examine how the plan threatens the health and well-being of Michigan families and farmers across the state.
A Tuesday hearing in the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services, chaired by Sen. Jeff Irwin (D-Ann Arbor), highlighted how the proposed cuts in the U.S. House’s budget plan to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) would directly disrupt and devastate the millions of Michiganders who rely on these benefits to put food on their table and meet their nutritional needs. A hearing yesterday in the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Agriculture, chaired by Sen. Sue Shink (D-Northfield Twp.), uplifted how these proposed cuts would further exacerbate food insecurity and economic instability for Michigan families, farmers and communities by slashing resources for local food banks and the state’s agricultural industry.
“SNAP, WIC and other federally funded food programs provide a lifeline for Michigan residents across the state. We know it by the numbers, but it’s made abundantly clearer from the stories of those who’ve depended on these resources to make ends meet, like the ones we heard from those who courageously testified this week,” said Sen. Irwin. “Cuts to these vital programs would not only directly harm hungry Michigan kids, families and seniors — they’d upend our own state budget, jeopardizing funding for other critical programs that folks rely on.”
As the nation’s largest anti-hunger program, SNAP helps 42 million people around the country afford their grocery bill, including about 1.5 million people right here in Michigan — particularly kids, working families, seniors and those with disabilities. In the Health and Human Services committee, local nonprofits, state officials and Michiganders who’ve benefited from food assistance programs spoke to how the proposed nearly $300 billion reduction to SNAP funding, added red tape, as well as threats to WIC, would hold devastating consequences for millions of Michiganders. If enacted, these cuts would heighten food insecurity, harm health outcomes for moms and babies, and force policymakers to figure out how to backfill these critical programs, which are currently 100% federally funded — putting other important programs funded by the state budget at risk.
“It’s simple: The US House’s plan to cut SNAP would devastate Michigan’s economy and food system,” said Monique Stanton, President and CEO of the Michigan League for Public Policy. “It would shift up to $900 million in costs onto our state at a time when we’re facing massive cuts to other programs and when 92% of Americans are concerned about the price of food and other goods. Food banks do an incredible job of filling the gap for folks facing hunger, but they cannot make up for the deep need these cuts would create. And on a broader note, without a strong SNAP program, our state’s economy will suffer. SNAP dollars fuel $2 billion in economic activity and help keep farms and grocery stores afloat, especially in rural communities.”
“SNAP participants are children, parents, veterans, people with disabilities, elderly Michiganders and others who work hard to make ends meet,” Stanton continued. “Most work jobs that don’t pay enough to cover the basics, and many have personal responsibilities like school, child care, or elder care that keep them out of a traditional workplace. Now, due to proposed work requirements, more SNAP participants would be burdened with paperwork and red tape to prove that they are worthy of food. Let’s be clear. SNAP is not a jobs program. It is a program designed to make sure people have basic access to food. We cannot sit by and watch as those in Washington decide who is and who is not worthy of basic nutrition.”
Following Tuesday’s Health and Human Services Committee, Sen. Shink led a hearing in the Senate Natural Resources and Agriculture Committee yesterday to explore the anticipated impacts of federal cuts on Michigan’s agricultural community and families already experiencing food insecurity. From the effects of recent policies to cuts to the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Michigan farmers have become increasingly concerned about their livelihoods and their industry. In addition, food banks and other vital community organizations that help ensure Michigan families don’t go hungry have been grappling with the erosion of their resources.
“A report released in January by Hunger Free America found that 1.3 million Michigan residents experienced food insecurity between 2021 and 2023. While this administration proposes unprecedented cuts to food assistance programs that feed these hungry families — all for taxpayer-funded tax breaks for the wealthiest of Americans — food insecurity and economic instability will only grow more prevalent in our Michigan communities,” said Sen. Shink. “I’m thankful for all the engaged advocates who came out to testify about the real costs of these federal cuts to the people we represent — Michigan farmers, children, and families.”
Dr. Deanne Kelleher, director of the Michigan Dept. of Education’s Office of Nutrition Services, testified about the impact of cutting Local Food Purchasing Agreement 25 (LFPA25) and Local Foods for Schools and Childcare (LFSCC) grants.
“The termination of LFPA25 and LFSCC has created a nearly $30 million void for getting healthy, minimally processed foods into Michigan homes, schools, and child care centers, not to mention leaving our farmers without this network to sell their products, “said Dr. Kelleher. “This means $30 million less in sales for our Michigan farmers. This means $30 million less in value of food to our food system in schools, child care centers, food banks, local food councils, and hubs. The bigger picture is that these nutrient-rich foods will not be in programs serving those that need them most. That’s a lot of nutrition that could have bettered the health of our children and families.”
“Recently, I spoke with a Black farmer in the community who fears they may need to leave the state after a federal Climate-Smart Commodities grant was pulled out from under their feet — and I’ve heard similar stories from farmers across the state,” said Julius Buzzard, Executive Director of Growing Hope. “The sustainable local food webs that our organization fosters cannot thrive without public investment. We need USDA funding streams to support not just mega farms, but small farms — those plots behind our garages, school gardens, and community spaces that stitch together a living ecosystem. We need youth ag funding that ensures the next generation of farmers, organizers, and soil tenders can afford to stay rooted.”
These committee hearings build on Senate Democrats’ previous efforts to examine and uplift the impact of federal cuts and actions on families and communities around the state.
发表回复