Colorado Springs food bank urges Congress to pass farm bill to ensure necessary funding

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - A bill passed every five years that supports farmers and food assistance programs like SNAP is up for re-approval at the end of September. For one Colorado Springs food bank, the passing of this bill could make sure the money they rely on doesn't go away.

The bill is approved every five years. The last time it was passed, it wasn't approved until Dec. 20, 2018. While the bill protects farmers and agriculture, it largely goes to provide food security through programs, like the food assistance program.

The Care and Share Food Bank for Southern Colorado said it relies on the Farm Bill for up to 20% of its funding. It supplies thousands of pounds of food to pantries all over southern Colorado.

"The farm bill is really important.  Why we don't want to see the farm bill cut is because if the farm bill's cut, then our lines get longer," Nate Springer, CEO of Care and Share Food Bank said.

In 2018, food assistance programs under Title IV of the bill made up over 70% of the bill's overall budget.

The bill includes the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, but also The Emergency Food Assistance Program and Community Supplemental Food Program. Care and Share rely on programs like TEFAP and CSFP to keep their Costco-sized distribution warehouse fully stocked.

Springer said they saw a jump in need when inflation rose in the summer of 2022. But even as inflation rates have slowed, food prices have remained high. Additionally, SNAP benefits were slashed at the beginning of the year.

"We saw another increase in need, another 15% increase in need, [when that happened]. So the need across southern Colorado is really high," Springer said.

According to the Feeding America Coalition, SNAP recipients have gone up every year since 2018.

"I think the sooner that we can pass the farm bill, the better," Springer said.

The deadline to pass the bill is Sept. 30, 2023.