Ag Committee Concludes Two-Year Review of SNAP

The Past, Present, and Future of SNAP

The House Agriculture Committee held a hearing to evaluate the innovative strategies retailers are utilizing to improve access to nutritious food. Committee members heard from organizations that are working creatively to provide nutritious food to low-income individuals in low-access areas through online platforms and incentive programs.

“Communities across the country have different needs when it comes to food access. Some individuals have access to a grocer on every street corner, while others are miles away from the nearest store. However, consumers nationwide are able to purchase a variety of items online that can be delivered directly to their homes, and I am excited to hear how this technology can be used to provide SNAP recipients the same sort of access to nutritious food. This capability, along with other innovations like mobile markets and nutrition incentive programs, have great potential to increase access to healthy foods and to more effectively meet the needs of SNAP recipients,” said Chairman K. Michael Conaway.

This was the final hearing of the committee’s top-to-bottom review known as the Past, Present, and Future of SNAP. During the hearing, Chairman Conaway announced he will release a comprehensive report detailing the findings of the hearing series in the coming weeks.

Written testimony provided by the witnesses from today’s hearing is linked below. Click here for more information, including Chairman Conaway’s opening statement and the archived webcast.

Witness List:
Panel I
Mr. Eric French, Director of Grocery, Amazon, Seattle, WA

Mr. Gunnar Lovelace, Founder/ Co-CEO, Thrive Market, Marina del Ray, CA

Mr. Mike Beal, Chief Operating Officer, Ball’s Food Stores, Kansas City, KS

Ms. Pamela Hess, Executive Director, Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food and Agriculture, Alexandria, VA

Ms. Melinda Newport, Director, WIC/Child Nutrition, Department of Health, Chickasaw Nation, Ada, OK