Congress Should Strengthen TEFAP in the 2023 Farm Bill
The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), is a cornerstone of the charitable food system. It enables farmers to move nutritious food to families facing hunger through Feeding America’s food bank network of over 200 food banks.
Facts about TEFAP
Feeding America calls on Congress to Strengthen TEFAP in the 2023 Farm Bill by
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Increasing TEFAP funding to help people facing hunger and support the U.S. agricultural economy. Congress should:-
Reauthorize and double annual mandatory funding for TEFAP food purchases.
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Reauthorizing and increasing to $200 million in annual discretionary funding for TEFAP storage and distribution.
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Reauthorizing $15 million in annual discretionary funding for TEFAP infrastructure grants. This will go towards refrigeration and fuel costs absorbed by food banks. It is needed for adequate storage and efficient distribution so they can transport USDA food, particularly to rural communities.
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Bolstering the TEFAP Farm to Food Bank Program.
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Congress should increase funding for the TEFAP Farm to Food Bank Program, remove the state match, and allow states to prioritize projects for donated food or food purchased at a low cost from local growers and producers.
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Hear from your constituents
When the kids are fed, and they feel good about themselves, their attendance is better. Their self-esteem is better…The joy is seeing the kids happy, seeing them able to learn.
— Ms Edwards, Teacher, South Carolina
It gets pretty tight with our budget; sometimes we have to choose between prescriptions and food. So this was and still is a life-saving gift for us.
— Sheree, Neighbor, Wyoming from the Elevating Voices: Insights Report
Sometimes in the rural areas, they don’t have food pantries that are close by, or that they have no means of transportation to get to that food. So, it’s a terrible thing. You have bellyaches. You feel terrible as a parent, because I have had to live with food insecurities at times, and it’s never a good thing when your children are asking for cereal and you don’t have cereal.
— Nordia, Neighbor, New York from Elevating Voices: Insights Report
Hear directly from people facing hunger in our Elevating Voices: Insights Report
Take Action
The farm bill can strengthen almost every federal nutrition program that helps ease the strain and stress of hunger in communities across the country. This chance only comes around once every five years—and this year, it's all hands on deck! Be an advocate.
Tell Congress to strengthen TEFAP to help end hunger in rural communities!
