ORLANDO, Fla. – Ahead of the 2023 U.S. Farm Bill vote, congressional leaders and local organizations came together for a roundtable to discuss the importance of the bill’s passing.
Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Orlando, and Rep. Darren Soto, D-Kissimmee, were in Orlando on Tuesday to not only share how the Farm Bill addresses food insecurity, but to discuss food insecurity as a whole and how organizations like the Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida fight the hunger crisis.
In addition to the two congressmen, Second Harvest leadership, as well as Second Harvest partners, were also present at Tuesday’s roundtable.
The Farm Bill goes up for a vote every five years and is set to expire this year. The bill sets the policy for farms, nutrition, conservation and forestry.
The Farm Bill serves several purposes and provides several benefits to organizations like the Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida.
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Through the Farm Bill, the Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida is able to obtain food through The Emergency Food Assistance Program, which helps them feed thousands of Central Florida residents.
Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida CEO, Derrick Chubbs said they’re hoping for increased TEFAP benefits with the 2023 Farm Bill.
“We have dropped from around 27 million pounds of food back from the 2021 time frame, down to 12 million that we’re seeing now but the need hasn’t changed,” Chubbs said.
The Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida said they are currently providing 300,000 meals a day and without the supplemental TEFAP benefits, Chubbs said they are sometimes buying the extra food which he said is not a sustainable model.
The bill expires on Sept. 30, but Soto said it’s possible it could be a year before a new Farm Bill is finalized. He said if that’s the case, he’s prepared to vote for an extension.
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