The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) is alarmed by the USDA’s recent decision to stop its annual Household Food Security Reports. For 30 years, these reports have provided crucial data about food insecurity and hunger in the U.S. They help researchers see how well federal programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are working and guide policymakers in addressing food insecurity.
The USDA’s announcement leaves many questions. It’s unclear if they will stop all data collection on food security or just the annual reports. CSPI is urging the Census Bureau to continue gathering this important information and make it public.
Interestingly, the USDA claimed that food insecurity rates have been stable since 2019. However, data shows that food insecurity actually went down between 2010 and 2021, reaching the lowest point since the Great Recession. Since then, though, it has been rising again. Recent changes to SNAP will result in millions of people losing assistance, despite its proven benefits in reducing food insecurity.
Experts warn that losing these reports mirrors a trend of suppressing critical data. Without the Household Food Security Reports, understanding the full impact of changes to nutrition assistance programs will be challenging.
As of 2022, nearly 10% of U.S. households were food insecure, highlighting that this issue still requires attention. The public deserves accurate information to grasp how policy changes affect hunger levels. Gathering and sharing data on food security is more important now than ever.
For more insights, check out the USDA’s data and CSPI’s advocacy efforts.
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