Iowa’s proposed plan to provide food boxes to low-income households with children in place of participating in the federal food benefits program has been denied by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Governor Kim Reynolds’ administration had submitted a waiver request to opt out of the Summer Expanded Benefits Transfer program and provide monthly boxes of food during the summer to food-insecure households. However, the USDA rejected the proposal, citing the effectiveness of the existing Summer EBT program in reducing hunger and improving diet quality.
Reynolds plans to reapply for the waiver under the new administration of President-elect Donald Trump. She believes that their proposed plan would feed more children with healthier, more nutritious food at a lower cost compared to the USDA’s program. The state’s proposal aims to expand eligibility to serve more children by leveraging Iowa’s already established network of summer feeding programs.
Despite the denial, the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services remains optimistic about future conversations with the new administration to discuss how they can meet the goals outlined in their application. The state’s demonstration project was crafted with feedback from community providers who serve Iowa’s families daily with the aim of providing healthy food to feed hungry kids at a lower cost through bulk buying and transportation options.
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