Lab 11: Agriculture Addressing Food Insecurity in the U.S.

Lab 11: Agriculture Addressing Food Insecurity in the U.S.

In this activity, you will explore the U.S. government’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides help to families faced with food insecurity and hunger in the United States. Nearly 1 of 8 Americans is categorized as “food insecure,” which means he or she lacks the money or other resources to obtain enough food. Although food costs, as a percentage of the average U.S. household budget, have declined, the cost of food has actually increased in the past ten years, and in 2017, more than 42 million people received SNAP—“food stamp”—benefits.

3. Add up the total cost for each section and record these amounts in the tables.

4. Add up the total cost of your entire menu and record it here: (1 point) $ 27.075

($108.3/wk for the family)

Continue to the next page.

Part Two: Evaluating SNAP Benefits

• Locate your state from the following table, and calculate your SNAP benefit. Record the monthly SNAP benefits per participant:

State: ______Texas_____ (2 points)

$ monthly SNAP benefits per person: $_117.39____(2 points)

• Calculate the weekly SNAP benefits for a family of four:

a. Multiply the monthly SNAP benefits/person by 12 to get the benefits/year:

$ ___1408.68__ SNAP benefits/year per person (1 point)

• Compare your state’s SNAP benefits with a state that pays more and a state that pays lower benefits. How might you need to adjust your menu to meet these other SNAP benefit levels?

Guam has the highest benefits, $189.7, 73.31 dollars more than Texas. Within this budget, I would introduce fruits in my diet, watermelon, and apples, once per week. I would also introduce chopped ham. Iowa has the least benefits, $111.11, 6.28 dollars less than Texas. I would have to remove the eggs from the budget to meet the requirements.

• Discuss some differences in food expenditures between a higher-earning household and a lower-earning household on SNAP benefits. What might the higher-earning household buy that the other household cannot? Should lower-earning households be able to buy more expensive cuts of meat, for example? Why or why not?

This is a good requirement because the alternative would incentivize one to be lazy and dependent on taxpayers. However, for this to work, it should be accompanied with increased job access. No one should fail to receive the benefits because they could not find employment.

• The current administration wants to cut SNAP benefits by more than $190 billion over the next 10 years. Describe some possible effects of reduced SNAP benefits. Should the government decrease food aid to people?

Reducing the SNAP benefits can lead to increased food insecurity among vulnerable populations, making it harder for low-income individuals and families to access an adequate and nutritious diet. This reduction can also have broader economic implications, as it may result in decreased consumer spending, negatively impacting local businesses and the overall economy. The government should, therefore, not reduce the SNAP benefits before reducing the level of poverty.