On July 19th, the U.S. House of Representatives Agricultural Committee passed the 2007 Farm Bill to reauthorize U.S. agricultural programs through 2012.  The Farm Bill authorizes the Food Stamp program and The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), defines domestic agricultural policies, and guides U.S. policies in addressing hunger worldwide.  The bill will now move to the House floor for further debate. 

The 2007 Farm Bill provides $4 billion over the next five years to improve the Food Stamp program, increase funding for TEFAP, and expand nutrition programs for seniors.  Anticipated anti-immigrant amendments that would have denied food stamp benefits to legal immigrants were not offered to the Farm Bill proposal.  This was a major accomplishment for Catholic Charities USA and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Justice for Immigrants Campaign, but please continue to respond to action alerts from these organizations in order to defeat anti-immigrant legislation and provisions in future proposals.

In accordance with Catholic Social Teaching, the USCCB and Catholic Charities USA have been working with Congress since early 2007 to enact food and agricultural policies aimed at reducing hunger and poverty.  The food assistance programs and foreign aid policies in the Farm Bill are key work supports that address and help reduce poverty in America and feed hungry people worldwide.